Lets talk about William Nylander.

[Nithoniniel]

No surprises he didnt see much ice time late in the third. He just isnt competing anywhere near as hard as is needed at this time of year.

Well, not like he ever gets much ice time late in the third.

 

[Gabriel426]

This is what I don't get, both Marner and Willie were drafted by the Leafs, developed by the Leafs and currently playing for the Leafs.
Yet I kept seeing people comparing them, trashing one of them to make the other better and most of all want to prove that one of them is clearly better than the other.
Why is that?
I can see if they are on different teams and we want to show the one playing on the Leafs is the better player but not when both of them are on the Leafs.
I understand criticizing players when they are underperforming but just dont see the point if trashing one player to make another player look good

 

[MyBudJT]

This is what I don't get, both Marner and Willie were drafted by the Leafs, developed by the Leafs and currently playing for the Leafs.
Yet I kept seeing people comparing them, trashing one of them to make the other better and most of all want to prove that one of them is clearly better than the other.
Why is that?
I can see if they are on different teams and we want to show the one playing on the Leafs is the better player but not when both of them are on the Leafs.
I understand criticizing players when they are underperforming but just dont see the point if trashing one player to make another player look good

I actually don't see anyone trashing Nylander to make Marner look better or vise versa. Some have their preferences/think one is clearly better, and are stating their case. Is there anything wrong with that?

 

[ottomaddox]

I used to think Nylander was a pretty solid player and wondered why so many teams passed on him at the draft.

Now that I get to see his inconsistency I know why Toronto got him at #8.

He's ok and worthy of playing a top 6 position in the NHL.

Good but never great.

He will likely get a bridge deal this offseason.

 

[HellasLEAF]

These young guys are still developing, and especially come playoff time. To find their game when it gets ugly out there and there isn't much room. Marner was pretty average last playoff and has raised his game this time. I've no doubt Nylander will show his regular season form in the playoffs, but you know, it might not be this season.

 

[Gabriel426]

I actually don't see anyone trashing Nylander to make Marner look better or vise versa. Some have their preferences/think one is clearly better, and are stating their case. Is there anything wrong with that?

Here is the thing, why do you need to state your case for your preference player to be better? I don't see someone go to a Kadri thread and state their case about Matthews is better? or vice versa.

 

[Mats13]

Here is the thing, why do you need to state your case for your preference player to be better? I don't see someone go to a Kadri thread and state their case about Matthews is better? or vice versa.

I really don't get it. We have both, why can't people just be happy with that?

 

[ErnieLeafs]

I have a feeling if we somehow get through this series, Willie will come alive against Tampa. They're far less physical, and his speed amd elusiveness will be a factor.

 

[thewave]

Kid needs a wake-up call. He needs to get hit and get mad. He needs to be engaged because what he is now is playing like he wants to be traded.

 

[TheProspector]

I usually wonder whether I watch the same game as everyone else. His line has carried the flow of play through 5 games, and he's been up against wicked competition.

Yet everyone thinks Pleks has done great, despite the fact that he has a 44% xGF, 40% CF, and has gotten basically permanently pinned by the Bruins in the defensive zone.

PDO has y'all fooled.

They each have 1 primary point. They have both been deployed nearly identically.

 

[Walshy7]

I have a feeling if we somehow get through this series, Willie will come alive against Tampa. They're far less physical, and his speed amd elusiveness will be a factor.

Chara is perfect at stopping everything nylander has tried nylander is stickhandling and manoeuvring, chara and his 7ft reach can easily stop rushing type players. Dump and chase is more likely to beat him and that is not nylanders game at all. I don’t think he faced chara that much last night and looked better as a result.

I agree Tampa would be a better matchup for him, in fact almost any team in the east playoffs would have been better than Boston for him and also the leafs as a whole. Except maybe Columbus they play heavier too

 

[as Pure as Evil]

willy Need to shoot again. seems like he would rather hang on to the puck a bit longer and look for a pass lately rather then rifling it. he has a wicked shot its just been limited for the last while

 

[Wendelstache]

Willy forced the turnover on the Johnnson goal, so some how he’s terrible?

 

[TheNip]

Nylander is a very good player but I don't see superstar/game changing potential.

Superstars - in my opinion - both make amazing plays and dictate pace regardless of line-mate. It's not just about points.

Marner is slightly (recently) better but in the same tier.

 

[Menzinger]

Here is the thing, why do you need to state your case for your preference player to be better? I don't see someone go to a Kadri thread and state their case about Matthews is better? or vice versa.

Good point, and something I’ve found to be quite annoying for the past few years.

We don’t need thebplayers to be in constant competition with one another for “whose the best”. Im just happy I get to cheer for them all as Leafs. This has been the most exciting team to cheer for in years, and it’s in large part due to all of these young guys.

 

[Gabriel426]

Good point, and something I’ve found to be quite annoying for the past few years.

We don’t need thebplayers to be in constant competition with one another for “whose the best”. Im just happy I get to cheer for them all as Leafs. This has been the most exciting team to cheer for in years, and it’s in large part due to all of these young guys.

Could not have said it better myself.

 

[kindalaidback]

lol, Leafs fans have no idea what they are talking about.

William fell to #8 mostly because of his father. One scout also didn't like that he was a confident kid, and it seemed that Michael Nylander had too much influence over William's career. That's it. He was described by scouts as the most talented player in his draft. Before he got drafted, Shanahan sat down with Willie; he had no issues with his attitude at all, and the Leafs knew they would select him. They wanted him to play for this team. Not Ritchie.

There was only one red flag, and it was one that he had no control over: his father. [...] Some in hockey were tempted to paint William with the same brush. “Could the apple fall far from the tree?” they wondered. [...] One scout who gave Nylander high grades based on performance came away from the combine pegging him as aloof and “really full of himself."

Big Read: What the Maple Leafs risked by drafting William Nylander - Sportsnet.ca

And to this day people believe this bullsh1t. Those who actually know or have met him can assure you that he is genuinely nice, and a person with good beliefs and politics. William works hard on and off the ice and always wants to improve as a player- he wants to be the best, but it's likely he would not tell you because he is not that kinda guy. He has been struggling these playoffs, and I don't know whether he is playing through injury or not, but the way people have harped on him is fuking ridiculous.
You guys are full of hypocrisy: trying to tear down a guy for 3 bad games (I do not think he played badly in Game 3 or last night), but Connor Brown has redeemed himself for one fuking play after he hadn't scored more than one goal in 26 games, and played like sh1t for 85 percent of the season. But yes, let's trade William Nylander.

 

[SniperOnTheWing]

willy Need to shoot again. seems like he would rather hang on to the puck a bit longer and look for a pass lately rather then rifling it. he has a wicked shot its just been limited for the last while

That's a confidence thing IMO, and Willy is clearly uncomfortable against the Bruins. The Leafs get any other opponent in the first round and he probably has a couple of snipes already.

 

[Menzinger]

lol, Leafs fans have no idea what they are talking about.

William fell to #8 mostly because of his father. One scout also didn't like that he was a confident kid, and it seemed that Michael Nylander had too much influence over William's career. That's it. He was described by scouts as the most talented player in his draft. Before he got drafted, Shanahan sat down with Willie; he had no issues with his attitude at all, and the Leafs knew they would select him. They wanted him to play for this team. Not Ritchie.



And to this day people believe this bullsh1t. Those who actually know or have met him can assure you that he is genuinely nice, and a person with good beliefs and politics. William works hard on and off the ice and always wants to improve as a player- he wants to be the best, but it's likely he would not tell you because he is not that kinda guy. He has been struggling these playoffs, and I don't know whether he is playing through injury or not, but the way people have harped on him is fuking ridiculous.
You guys are full of hypocrisy: trying to tear down a guy for 3 bad games (I do not think he played badly in Game 3 or last night), but Connor Brown has redeemed himself for one fuking play after he hadn't scored more than one goal in 26 games, and played like sh1t for 85 percent of the season. But yes, let's trade William Nylander.

Those quotes are beyond infuriating, literally everything wrong with pro scouting today. Guys hesr a rumour about a player, repeat it constantly and other folks just assume it’s true. I wonder how many of those scouts ever had a serious one on one convo with him before saying such things.

 

[Thissiteisgarbage]

Nylander would underwhelm during Marlies playoffs as well... he did have a hat trick game, but would disappear for long stretches. Same conversations were had about his intensity then.

 

[as Pure as Evil]

That's a confidence thing IMO, and Willy is clearly uncomfortable against the Bruins. The Leafs get any other opponent in the first round and he probably has a couple of snipes already.

I agree, its frustrating just because he has one of the better shots on the team and hes just stopped using one of his best weapons

 

[Bigmarycombo]

Chara is perfect at stopping everything nylander has tried nylander is stickhandling and manoeuvring, chara and his 7ft reach can easily stop rushing type players. Dump and chase is more likely to beat him and that is not nylanders game at all. I don’t think he faced chara that much last night and looked better as a result.

I agree Tampa would be a better matchup for him, in fact almost any team in the east playoffs would have been better than Boston for him and also the leafs as a whole. Except maybe Columbus they play heavier too

The difference between nylander and marner is Mitch will take a hit or try to hit someone to make a play

Nylander won’t. It’s thst simple
Marner gets held against the boards by chara while wingers hits him, gets knocked down and still is a hound on the puck

Nylander just doesn’t go to the boards period

 

[Polaris1010]

Nylander is still a good player.

The point is this, for this playoffs series. You have to keep him away from Matthews if the Leafs want to have a chance.

First goal of the game yesterday, the new line. Sets the tone and Matthews had Boston backing off all game.

However, after the 5 on 3 penalty kill, give Brown a rest, and Boston scores with the Matthews Nylander combination on the ice again.

The only chemistry here is how Boston will spank those two together next.

Notice that Boston does not even bother to rough up or even defend Nylander. They pegged him as a non-factor.

 

[Popeye7735]

I think the posters here, particularly the Nylander supporters, are overly sensive about Brown's move into Mathews line over Willy. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if a team can shut down / minimize the damage of Boston's top line, that team would have a much better chance of beating them.
But it is easier said than done particularly in their arena when they had the last line change. We lost miserably in our first 2 games when their top line had scored a total of 20 points ......!
In last night's game, Babs countered with 3 defensively stronger combos such that no matter what Cassidy decided to play the Marchand line against, we could limit its effectiveness while all 3 of our lines can countr attack as well. I think it was a brilliant strategic move by Babs and seemed to have worked.
It won't surprise me to see Willy back with Mathews in game 6.

 

[MR4]

Can we stop f***ing repeating the "BOS line 1 had 20 points!" line as a negative against Matthews & Nylander when they were only on the ice for 2 goals? What, they're supposed to influence the PK to not let them score PP points from the bench?