William Nylander - Big Willie Style

[Kamiccolo]

I sure hope some Leafs fans aren't stupid enough to think just because he was drafted in the 1st round means he has potential to be a star 1st line center. How many become a 3rd or 4th liner or never make it to the NHL? What am I saying in Leafland everyone we draft is guaranteed to be an all star right? Has to be true because our track history is so good at drafting 1st line centers.

How about we just let him develop at his own pace and he becomes what ever he becomes.

Actually the leafs have been much better at drafting over all for the past 4 years or so. Besides some dumb picks (Biggs, Possibly Gauthier) we have a lot of promising guys picked in the later rounds.

The leafs have had success in the past with guys from SWE, and almost all picks from there in the past have all been great players. That's why I have faith in Nylander.

I actually don't want him in the NHL next year. The leafs are a gong show. They need to pull a detroit and keep him out of the NHL until he is so good he can't possibly not play there, not until he is good enough to make the third line.

He needs to start next season in the AHL as the marlies first line C. Let him play the PK, the PP, etc. Get him used to a two way game, play him in all situations on the smaller ice. If he is great, he can come up mid season.

He doesn't need to come to the media circuis here and play third line minutes and get eaten alive.

Either SWE or AHL for him.

 

[The Podium]

I sure hope some Leafs fans aren't stupid enough to think just because he was drafted in the 1st round means he has potential to be a star 1st line center. How many become a 3rd or 4th liner or never make it to the NHL? What am I saying in Leafland everyone we draft is guaranteed to be an all star right? Has to be true because our track history is so good at drafting 1st line centers.

How about we just let him develop at his own pace and he becomes what ever he becomes.

Well...
A: Top 10 picks are usually projected to be 1st line players
B: Post-draft Nylander has produced at an unprecedented level in the SHL
C: Biggs is the Leafs only 1st round bust in over a decade

 

[Gary Nylund]

I sure hope some Leafs fans aren't stupid enough to think just because he was drafted in the 1st round means he has potential to be a star 1st line center. How many become a 3rd or 4th liner or never make it to the NHL? What am I saying in Leafland everyone we draft is guaranteed to be an all star right? Has to be true because our track history is so good at drafting 1st line centers.

How about we just let him develop at his own pace and he becomes what ever he becomes.

In order to have that kind of potential, what round would he have to be drafted in?

 

[Durrr]

I sure hope some Leafs fans aren't stupid enough to think just because he was drafted in the 1st round means he has potential to be a star 1st line center. How many become a 3rd or 4th liner or never make it to the NHL? What am I saying in Leafland everyone we draft is guaranteed to be an all star right? Has to be true because our track history is so good at drafting 1st line centers.

How about we just let him develop at his own pace and he becomes what ever he becomes.

Does this post have a purpose lol? Nylander is going to develop the same regardless of fans expectations and hopes. If being a top 10 pick in a deeper draft doesnt come with expectations then what does lol? The fact that he is already a 1c in the shl at 18 kind of just confirms all the hype about this kid, yet for some reason people still want to tell fans to stop being excited? We're fans, were allpwed to get hyped about our prospects all we want. This isn't some low 20s pick here he was the 4th (right?)highest center picked in the draft.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

too bad nylander isnt 6'3 225 lbs and he isnt canadian, then he would be good

 

[Durrr]

too bad nylander isnt 6'3 225 lbs and he isnt canadian, then he would be good

He was born here, gota count for something rigjt?

 

[LeafSteel]

too bad nylander isnt 6'3 225 lbs and he isnt canadian, then he would be good

That is exactly what this Forum sounds like sometimes, doesn't it?

Looking forward to seeing Nylander develop.

I hope he's a good one, even if he isn't Gilmour, Sundin, or Clark re-incarnated.

BB

 

[DoubleDouble*]

He reminds me of Kessel when he doesn't have the luck. That is dissapointing.

 

[King85Kong]

too bad nylander isnt 6'3 225 lbs and he isnt canadian, then he would be good

Well played

 

[Leafs at Knight]

He reminds me of Kessel when he doesn't have the luck. That is dissapointing.

wut?

 

[Menzinger]

It boggles my mind that comparing a prospect to Kessel can be viewed as a negative thing. I'm at a loss for words

 

[Pi]

It boggles my mind that comparing a prospect to Kessel can be viewed as a negative thing. I'm at a loss for words

I don't mind it but people are blind if they think he's Kessel.

Kessel isn't much of a deker or puck handler. He's straight speed, great tape to tape passer, snipe shooter.

Nylander makes moves like Patrick Kane. He's much more like Kane than Kessel.

 

[Warden of the North]

too bad nylander isnt 6'3 225 lbs and he isnt canadian, then he would be good

If he was 6'3 225 he'd of gone first overall without question.

 

[Bluelines]

Does this post have a purpose lol? Nylander is going to develop the same regardless of fans expectations and hopes. If being a top 10 pick in a deeper draft doesnt come with expectations then what does lol? The fact that he is already a 1c in the shl at 18 kind of just confirms all the hype about this kid, yet for some reason people still want to tell fans to stop being excited? We're fans, were allpwed to get hyped about our prospects all we want. This isn't some low 20s pick here he was the 4th (right?)highest center picked in the draft.

Hey what do I know apparently Nylander = Crosby... only in Leafland ... some fan bases don't anoint every pick the "next one" while others are Leafnation,

I've learned here tonight Nylander matches up really well against the best face off guy in the league and he matches up with the greatest player in the world really well.

 

[Durrr]

Pretty sure what round your drafted in has nothing to do with getting picked to an all star team, could be wrong but its usually based off performance.

wut.

 

[Durrr]

Hey what do I know apparently Nylander = Crosby... only in Leafland ... some fan bases don't anoint every pick the "next one" while others are Leafnation,

I've learned here tonight Nylander matches up really well against the best face off guy in the league and he matches up with the greatest player in the world really well.

Is it fun making up arguments?

No one said Nylander is Crosby, they said he was the same size as Crosby and that he has 1C potential (which, by the way does not mean Crosby potential). We're excited about our prospect, if you aren't then leave his thread instead of making up silly straw man arguments and bashing a player you know little about.

 

[Bluelines]

did we see the same game? He setup teammates for a clear goal atleast 3 times.

Sure he passed after he boxed himself into being forced to do so. I counted at least 4 rushes that he could have passed to the open guy that ended up being a turnover because he tried to do too much.

 

[Bluelines]

Is it fun making up arguments?

No one said Nylander is Crosby, they said he was the same size as Crosby and that he has 1C potential (which, by the way does not mean Crosby potential). We're excited about our prospect, if you aren't then leave his thread instead of making up silly straw man arguments and bashing a player you know little about.

I love how you left out guys like Crosby and Giroux...you know, because they are the same size as Nylander and match up just fine

Indeed no one said Nylander matches up just fine with Crosby and Giroux...

 

[Durrr]

Indeed no one said Nylander matches up just fine with Crosby and Giroux...

Ugh, dude I'm talking about Crosby and Giroux matching up to bigger centers in the NHL based on their height in response to the post stating Nylander would be too small to match up to centers like Stall, Getzlaf, etc.

Who ever says that Crosby and Giroux are too small to 1C's? No one.

 

[SChan*]

Sure he passed after he boxed himself into being forced to do so. I counted at least 4 rushes that he could have passed to the open guy that ended up being a turnover because he tried to do too much.

he wasnt perfect, no one is. But he had a good game overall, very dynamic.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

We finally have an elite prospect that happens to be a center, and people are getting pissed others are excited.

Jeez.

Some of us prefer honest discussion of our most high profile prospect, I mean this isn't just a fan site. We have to maintain some sort of honest discussion on players. I like that there are some that call him elite already, and some that see flaws too. No player is perfect.

 

[Cor]

An elite prospect is different than an elite player. Big difference.

Oh, and one can see his flaws while still being excited about him. Nylander doesn't have many flaws though

 

[Stephen]

Just got back from the Sweden Czech Republic game. Nylander made three or four individual rushes that really show his skill with the puck, in some cases walking through half the Czech team. The puck followed him around whenever he was out there. I believe he nearly set up a guy on a cross crease play and also flubbed on a couple of point blank opportunities. He scored a goal that turned out to be the game winner and the crowd serenaded him with a Go Leafs Go chant. The guy is clearly an extremely talented player and it's awesome to have him.

That said, he did seem to float around a little bit from time to time. Guys like Adrian Kempe and Jacob de la Rose looked a lot more mature physically, like the sturdy kind of guys you'd feel comfortable going into a seven game series with. Typical Western Conference bodies. Kind of pissed Montreal owns de la Rose.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Just got back from the Sweden Czech Republic game. Nylander made three or four individual rushes that really show his skill with the puck, in some cases walking through half the Czech team. The puck followed him around whenever he was out there. I believe he nearly set up a guy on a cross crease play and also flubbed on a couple of point blank opportunities. He scored a goal that turned out to be the game winner and the crowd serenaded him with a Go Leafs Go chant. The guy is clearly an extremely talented player and it's awesome to have him.

That said, he did seem to float around a little bit from time to time. Guys like Adrian Kempe and Jacob de la Rose looked a lot more mature physically, like the sturdy kind of guys you'd feel comfortable going into a seven game series with. Typical Western Conference bodies. Kind of pissed Montreal owns de la Rose.

Good to get a first hand account. This seems to be Nylander's achilles heal early on. Not the first time this has been mentioned. Talent is NOT the question, consistent application is.

 

[Pi]

Just got back from the Sweden Czech Republic game. Nylander made three or four individual rushes that really show his skill with the puck, in some cases walking through half the Czech team. The puck followed him around whenever he was out there. I believe he nearly set up a guy on a cross crease play and also flubbed on a couple of point blank opportunities. He scored a goal that turned out to be the game winner and the crowd serenaded him with a Go Leafs Go chant. The guy is clearly an extremely talented player and it's awesome to have him.

That said, he did seem to float around a little bit from time to time. Guys like Adrian Kempe and Jacob de la Rose looked a lot more mature physically, like the sturdy kind of guys you'd feel comfortable going into a seven game series with. Typical Western Conference bodies. Kind of pissed Montreal owns de la Rose.

Montreal has drafted much better than us. We've given up too many 2nd round picks.

Rose is a 2nd round pick...he looks like he'll at least be a gritty 3rd liner.