Speculation: Nylander XVIII (all Nylander discussion here)

[Brock Anton]

I find the preference for Hamilton over Pesce befuddling. Pesce is a better fit for the Leafs all things considered. Pesce may be a better fit for the Canes all things considered and Carolina has issues offensively that the Leafs don't have. Are the optics of trading Nylander for less than a big name that important?

I don't get it either. Pesce is like the ideal defenseman to play with a guy with the skillset of Rielly. I guess he's just not a sexy enough name for some.

 

[socko]

Chicago was a fast, high talent, scoring team and won 3 cup with a 20-25 point Hjalmarsson logging big minutes. Teams can and generally have to walk and chew gum at the same time; you want a mix of offense and defense in your Top 4.

I find the preference for Hamilton over Pesce befuddling. Pesce is a better fit for the Leafs all things considered. Pesce may be a better fit for the Canes all things considered and Carolina has issues offensively that the Leafs don't have. Are the optics of trading Nylander for less than a big name that important?

Yes, if I want a stay at home defenseman they are easy to get. We got Hainsey for nothing and he's been pretty solid. If I'm trading high end talent, I want high end talent coming back.

 

[Nizdizzle]

"...we have significant pieces not here and they will be here." - Babcock

Everyone get ready to have your feather ruffled because someone in Leafs management said they will sign Nylander.

 

[firstemperor]

I suspect if Nylander is traded it will be the same feeling as the Kessel trade. We all wanted a lot more than we got...it is what it is, and i will trust management to do what's best for the team going forward.

I feel differently in this case.

Kessel had to go.....I thought we got a bit of an underwhelming return (in the sense that I expected a bunch of pieces, but I was expecting Pouliot at the time, at minimum- as opposed to Kapanen, in hindsight that worked out) but we weren't getting a great return regardless. Felt the same way about Patches (which ended up getting better in a return).

Nylander is a different animal though with his age, rights etc- thus, we have a lot more leverage in this scenario. I also think he's on the complete opposite spectrum of being pushed out- I personally think he has to stay. We will need a 3 headed monster up the middle and I truly think Kadri will be pushed to the wing sooner than people think as long as Nylander is here.

I think he ultimately resigns or skips the year- and we'll go on without him. I would put it at about 70/20. Only a 10% chance I could see him being traded- would be shocked if this is the case.

 

[4thline]

In all seriousness, I'm wondering why he seems to have come up from under the radar. I liked him down there just fine!

Too late!
Personally I find trying to identify these guys and find imaginary deals that work for both sides way more fun than getting into the old "quality > quantity" and "if xx isn't involved we hang up" back and forths

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

"...we have significant pieces not here and they will be here." - Babcock

Everyone get ready to have your feather ruffled because someone in Leafs management said they will sign Nylander.

Seems that even at this juncture, Babcock is as confident now about signing Nylander as Dubas was before the season.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Seems that even at this juncture, Babcock is as confident now about signing Nylander as Dubas was before the season.

Not necessarily. Either Nylander’s in the lineup, or whatever they get for Nylander is in the lineup. Either way, there’s a significant addition coming.

 

[nturn06]

"...we have significant pieces not here and they will be here." - Babcock

Everyone get ready to have your feather ruffled because someone in Leafs management said they will sign Nylander.

He probably meant Matthews and a decent backup...

 

[OVO16]

"...we have significant pieces not here and they will be here." - Babcock

Everyone get ready to have your feather ruffled because someone in Leafs management said they will sign Nylander.

Lol babcock doesnt know shit.

He's just confident something gets done. He knows how to play the toronto media

 

[socko]

Seems that even at this juncture, Babcock is as confident now about signing Nylander as Dubas was before the season.

He's obviously talking about the long awaited return of Nathan Horton.

 

[mouz135]

Not necessarily. Either Nylander’s in the lineup, or whatever they get for Nylander is in the lineup. Either way, there’s a significant addition coming.

Wouldn’t that be Matthews returning to the lineup from injury?

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Wouldn’t that be Matthews returning to the lineup from injury?

That as well.

 

[Martin Skoula]

I don't get it either. Pesce is like the ideal defenseman to play with a guy with the skillset of Rielly. I guess he's just not a sexy enough name for some.

Would you trade a new Ferarri for an older Civic because it's an ideal winter car? Just because something is a good positional fit doesn't mean it's a good value fit.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Lol babcock doesnt know ****.

He's just confident something gets done. He knows how to play the toronto media

Sorry.. The coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs doesn't know shit about a player on his rosters status? Am I reading this correctly that the posters of HF and the media speculating their opinions are MORE informed than the damn coach?

 

[DANTHEMAN1967]

I don't see the Canes being desperate here. I don't think they would have to offer the moon if it comes to that. From my perspective, it's the other way around. Leafs are the one's in a pickle. I would just sit back and wait to see what unfolds.

Having the RFA rights to Nylander is like owning a sports car in Canada.
If you want to sell the sports car for it's highest value you may have to wait until the Spring when there will be a crowd of potential buyers excited to buy it for the season ahead.
If a buyer likes that particular sports car he can try to low-ball the owner in the Fall/Winter but then he risks the owner refusing to sell it to him and the owner then subsequently selling it to someone else in the Spring and the buyer has missed out on an opportunity.
If the owner can't get what the sports car is really worth in the Fall he simply covers it up in his garage and waits for the Spring, he doesn't sell it for cheap unless he is desperate.
The Leafs aren't desperate.

It's important for the Leafs and Dubas to maximize Nylander's value preferably with a long term contract that doesn't over value him or else for top dollar in a trade because the expectation is that the Leafs will be good for a long time and won't have another asset as valuable as Nylander to trade for years.
He needs to get this right even if it means Nylander has to sit in the garage until the Spring.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Wouldn’t that be Matthews returning to the lineup from injury?

That as well.

"They" is plural. There are only two players not on the roster right now.

 

[Liferleafer]

Lol babcock doesnt know ****.

He's just confident something gets done. He knows how to play the toronto media

You don't think Babs talks to Dubas? Really?

 

[Kamiccolo]

Please please please please be true and he is signing. He'll be such a big addition to the team and much better than him going for some 2nd pairing D. Plus will be funny to watch people choke on their words to pretend he sucks again after hyping him up for the past month when it looked like he was a goner.

 

[Dr Pepper]

"...we have significant pieces not here and they will be here." - Babcock

Everyone get ready to have your feather ruffled because someone in Leafs management said they will sign Nylander.

I figured he was talking about Matthews, a far more significant piece to the Leafs than Nylander. Wouldn't read too much into it.....remember Dubas himself said back in July that he'd sign everyone he needed to sign, without issue.

I guess Nylander called his bluff, and then some.

 

[KPower]

Lol babcock doesnt know ****.

He's just confident something gets done. He knows how to play the toronto media

Babcock is playing you like a fiddle.

 

[Liferleafer]

I figured he was talking about Matthews, a far more significant piece to the Leafs than Nylander. Wouldn't read too much into it.....remember Dubas himself said back in July that he'd sign everyone he needed to sign, without issue.

I guess Nylander called his bluff, and then some.

Sure...Matthews is so good, that when Babcock talks about him...he refers to him as "they".

 

[Nizdizzle]

I figured he was talking about Matthews, a far more significant piece to the Leafs than Nylander. Wouldn't read too much into it.....remember Dubas himself said back in July that he'd sign everyone he needed to sign, without issue.

I guess Nylander called his bluff, and then some.

He said "pieces" and "they", meaning plural.

My comments above were tongue-in-cheek poking fun at how bent out of shape people got when Dubas made his comments.

 

[socko]

I guess Nylander called his bluff, and then some.

Yeah Willy really showed him something, earning a reputation similar to his father, all the while sitting on his 60 points, while the teammate he was once compared to is on pace for a 100 point season. Great strategy Willy. You're a gentleman and a scholar.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Sure...Matthews is so good, that when Babcock talks about him...he refers to him as "they".

Maybe those are Matthews' preferred pronouns.

 

[RomanianLeafs]

Canes fans need to come back to reality, i understand loving your prospects, u guys have one of my top 3 prospects pool in the nhl, but while your team is far away from a title Nylander would be a huge uprade over all your forwards except Aho and would help your team reach the playoffs year after year.. If u really think Pesce + Necas or Gauthier or Kuokkanen is an overpayment wow u guys are crazy. And if your gm thinks the same well u can wait some more years for a playoff game.. He would have done this trade very very quick if Leafs would accept this..in the end I am confident Nylander will sign soon or will sit the season, he is not going to be traded unless a crazy offer