Should the Leafs keep Nylander at C?

[WillTheThrill]

Button mentioned on Overdrive today that Nylander is way better off as a winger because it maximizes his abilities and strengths. However during his time with the Leafs this past season he did a fine job as a center and has the potential to be real good when given better wingers to play with. Matthews and Nylander could be a deadly 1-2 punch down the middle for the next 10 years. What do you think?

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[Canada4Gold]

Yes, Nylander has shown IMO that he can clearly handle center. We have solid wingers in JVR, Marner anyway and lost of middle 6 guys who can top out at 2nd line winners(Brown, Kapanen, Johnson, Timashov, Bracco, Soshnikov). As well as the bottom 6 wingers like Leivo, Leipsic, Hyman, Lindberg, etc

Matthews, Nylander, Kadri is amazing center depth and with the wings not being a weakness either, we're in a great position moving forward. Just gotta solidify that back end and get someone we can rely on for the future in goal.

 

[jakeperalta*]

Not expecting a two way game from him, let his play off the wall, his he's snipe/play making, let him be ridiculous in that role.

 

[BackHandShelf22]

I'm sure he'll dabble in both throughout his career which is only just beginning. Don't need to set his position in stone.

To me it all depends on the players around him. If another superior center reveals himself (for this example let's just say Stamkos) then I could see him play the wing with ease.

Either way it was remarkable seeing him handle regular center duties with poise this past season. Granted with the obvious rookie mistakes. Will likely be another year or so ala Kuznetsov before he finds a home somewhere permanently.

 

[schenneuf]

Keep him at C and relocate the Stamkos money. People need to understand THE CAP.

 

[saltming]

Kadri nylander mathews down the middle. Move bozak to the wing. Insulate the rookie c's with vet wingers.

 

[rdawg1234]

The San Jose Sharks have Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Thomas Hertl, Patrick Marleau(not sure if he was a C) in the lineup, all are natural C's and all could be argued as top 6 C's

There is no reason to force him to stay at Centre, keep him at 3rd line C for now, if you add Stamkos try him out on the wing.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

Button mentioned on Overdrive today that Nylander is way better off as a winger because it maximizes his abilities and strengths. However during his time with the Leafs this past season he did a fine job as a center and has the potential to be real good when given better wingers to play with. Matthews and Nylander could be a deadly 1-2 punch down the middle for the next 10 years. What do you think?

I see in the future Matthews, Nylander, Kadri as our 3 centers with whoever ending up on the 4th line (Gauthier IMO)

I think next season Kadri is still the 1C just because that's the right way to go. He will eventually move down maybe even during the next season and I don't think he'll mind (his contract tells me he's accepted his projected role, love the guy!) If this team becomes a serious contender Kadri is our 3C and he fits the makings of that type of player with real offensive pedigree.

Bozak is the guy I wonder about most. Do they immediately trade him or try him on wing? Marner is obviously moving to wing permanently (though you never know)

So yes Leafs should keep Nylander at C.

It feels like soon we'll be talking about too many good players and where to put them A very new situation for us Leafs fans!

 

[Suntouchable13]

Kadri nylander mathews down the middle. Move bozak to the wing. Insulate the rookie c's with vet wingers.

Or better yet, move Bozak to another team.

 

[Fogelhund]

Let's hold a conference call tomorrow, so that we can finalize the future of the C position within our team. #communitydecisions

 

[Kurisu]

Keep him at C and relocate the Stamkos money. People need to understand THE CAP.

you need to understand we don't have cap problems even if we sign him.

 

[saltming]

Or better yet, move Bozak to another team.

Hahaha.
In due time. Unless its a hockey trade he will serve a purpose next year and the year after until the trade deadline and hopefully by then his stats will be nicely padded and we get a ransom for him.

 

[htpwn]

If he was called up last year and stunk, I'd say just put him on the wing. But he didn't. He was reasonably effective offensively, reasonably responsible defensively, and he wins face-offs. Centres are such a valuable commodity in this league. You can always move a centre to the wing, but not vice-versa, as we learned ourselves when we tried JVR at centre. So I think, even if we sign Stamkos and take Matthews, the answer is yes. It doesn't mean he can't play wing for a few weeks or months, but whatever decisions are made, they need IMO to be with an eye towards developing Nylander as a centre. Either move Bozak or temporarily shift Kadri to the wing if there's no room.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I didn't vote but I'm fine with him doing whats best for the team. If that means wing so be it. If it means switching back and forth according to circumstances that helps the team, I'm fine with that.

I am fine with him playing full time center too if they see fit. The prospects being versatile is a good occurrence for all of them.

Willy is deadly off the left side and Magic plays right wing for the Knights. I don't know about everyone else but Nylander/Matthews/Marner is a line i could painlessly watch learn by trial and error every game.

Thats a potential line we could have together for a decade! No willy playing center depriving me of the opportunity of watching that line together is enough perspective to not give a **** about position.

 

[The Examiner]

Keep him at C and relocate the Stamkos money. People need to understand THE CAP.

The only people that need to understand the cap are management. I think they understand it better than anyone.

If they sign Stamkos, I have faith that they know what they are doing.

 

[Stephen]

Henrik Zetterberg spent a lot of years on LW in Detroit, plying the same strong two way game that makes him a great centerman.

 

[Menzinger]

Short answer: yes.

Long answer: yes yes yes.

No reason to move him to the wing - he's clearly the most comfortable when he's playing centre, and he had a very strong debut there this past season.

 

[Pi]

He's been a C pretty much everywhere and played so well as a rookie C in the league. It was trial by fire and he came out on top. He's a centre long term...whether we get Stamkos or not.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Looked great at centre so far in his pro career, why bother trying to move him over?

Matthews-Nylander would make two great complimenting centres in the future to anchor the forward group. The fact that the Leafs have a playmaker like Marner who can flank and set up Matthews is huge too.

 

[Gabriel426]

The Games of Cs has begun.

 

[Canada4Gold]

The Kadri/Bozak discussions were getting old. I'm glad we've moved on to the Nylander Center/Wing discussions. They'll have an even bigger void to fill when the Stamkos discussions come to a conclusion this summer. My god what are we ever gonna talk about

 

[gamer1035]

I'm under the assumption Stamkos signs.

Move Nylander to the wing

 

[WilliamNylander]

We need a "duh" option because this is a no brainer

 

[Smif]

The San Jose Sharks have Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Thomas Hertl, Patrick Marleau(not sure if he was a C) in the lineup, all are natural C's and all could be argued as top 6 C's

There is no reason to force him to stay at Centre, keep him at 3rd line C for now, if you add Stamkos try him out on the wing.

This. The answer doesn't have to be one or the other, the answer can be both.

 

[TNCHL]

If stammer signs. Move kadri to the wing.