Speculation: According to Mirtle/Siegel Leafs were trying the sign Derek Ryan on July 1st.

lifelonghockeyfan

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Dec 18, 2015
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I really wonder about this crazy DeHaan rumour. There doesn't seem to be big need at LHD for Leafs. I still maintain that if Tavares hadn't been signed, Nylander would have been given the opportunity to player centre. Much more potential upside for the Leafs than Ryan.
 

diceman934

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Jul 31, 2010
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Nylander is already a better center than Kadri was at the same age. One can argue his faceoffs at 21 years of age is better than Kadri's current faceoff skills at 27. Foolish to think the organization is sold on him not ever being a center. Look how many years it took Kadri to be considered defensively responsible.

Not to mention Nylander literally played center at times.

It is more suitable to have Nylander at wing in the current lineup. That doesn't mean management doesn't think he can't become a center.

"Seems pretty clear". Nah
Lol Nylander a better center than Kadri.

Babcock does not see him as a center and I agree.

Reason why: he has not shown himself to be an NHL Center when given the opportunity. He lacks the wherewithal to go to the areas of the ice that centers are required to go to if they are to be centers. Hell as of now he is still a late game winger who is replaced for a better defensive player.

Kadri has never avoid the areas of the ice that is required to be an Center in the NHL.
 

Bluelines

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Nov 17, 2013
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Lol Nylander a better center than Kadri.

Babcock does not see him as a center and I agree.

Reason why: he has not shown himself to be an NHL Center when given the opportunity. He lacks the wherewithal to go to the areas of the ice that centers are required to go to if they are to be centers. Hell as of now he is still a late game winger who is replaced for a better defensive player.

Kadri has never avoid the areas of the ice that is required to be an Center in the NHL.

Maybe saying Nylander is a better center is incorrect, a more accurate statement would be Nylander is a more skilled player. I think SOME of us forget (aka blind spot) just how incomplete Kadri was as a player before Babcock. ;)
 

diceman934

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Maybe saying Nylander is a better center is incorrect, a more accurate statement would be Nylander is a more skilled player. I think SOME of us forget (aka blind spot) just how incomplete Kadri was as a player before Babcock. ;)
Nylander is a very incomplete player as a winger and those need to change before he would ever be considered as a Leaf center full time. It was the reason why we were shopping for a center.

In my opinion Babcock does not see Nylander as a Center.

As for Kadri he has always rose to any challenge put in front of him. As well as took ownership of his deficiencies, same can not be said for most players.
 

Bluelines

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Nov 17, 2013
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Nylander is a very incomplete player as a winger and those need to change before he would ever be considered as a Leaf center full time. It was the reason why we were shopping for a center.

In my opinion Babcock does not see Nylander as a Center.

As for Kadri he has always rose to any challenge put in front of him. As well as took ownership of his deficiencies, same can not be said for most players.

Yep agreed on Nylander, he has mental lapses and sometimes has effort lapses. To be expected with young players. They are at different stages in their development/careers but both highly skilled players, we are lucky to have both.

I agree that Babcock does not see Nylander as a center.
 
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pheasant

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Nov 2, 2010
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I really wonder about this crazy DeHaan rumour. There doesn't seem to be big need at LHD for Leafs. I still maintain that if Tavares hadn't been signed, Nylander would have been given the opportunity to player centre. Much more potential upside for the Leafs than Ryan.

I've seen people on here suggest that DeHaan can play on the right, even though he's a left shot. I'm not sure how much he plays there, since that's not easy to look up. But I'm pretty sure Islanders fans have said he can play on the right. So that's why the rumour wasn't so crazy.

As for Nylander at C if we hadn't gotten Tavares, I think the Ryan rumour proves that our management and coaching staff doesn't feel Nylander makes sense at C. Pretty hard to argue that Babcock would have given Nylander the chance to play centre when Babcock has staunchly refused to play him there so far.

And as it stands now, we have 3 long-term full-time centers on the roster. There's not going to be much opportunity for Nylander to play there now, so it's time to accept that on the Leafs he is a winger.
 

Havoc

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Jul 25, 2009
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Lol Nylander a better center than Kadri.

Babcock does not see him as a center and I agree.

Reason why: he has not shown himself to be an NHL Center when given the opportunity. He lacks the wherewithal to go to the areas of the ice that centers are required to go to if they are to be centers. Hell as of now he is still a late game winger who is replaced for a better defensive player.

Kadri has never avoid the areas of the ice that is required to be an Center in the NHL.

I never said Nylander is better. I said Nylander is better than Kadri (at center) when Kadri was the same age.
 

Havoc

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Jul 25, 2009
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Wrong again Nylander is not a center and Kadri is. Real hard to be better at center when not playing the position over a player who is.

What does at the same age mean to you dude? Kadri was a horrible center to begin his career. He couldn't even crack the team full time until his 4th season and played wing a lot of games. Nylander is already better than him at faceoffs at their real ages.

All I was saying is the fact Kadri was able to develop into a good center after it looked like he may be converted to wing early in his career can suggest there's a chance Nylander can become a center. If he doesn't then he doesn't.

Nylander took over 600 faceoffs last season and won > 50 % of them so it's pretty absurd people are writing him off as becoming a center one day. What pure winger takes over 600 draws? When Matthews was injured Nylander played center. How does that suggest management is writing him off as being a center eventually?

If all of that suggests ZERO chance Nylander can be a center one day then I'm clearly talking to a brick wall.
 

diceman934

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What does at the same age mean to you dude? Kadri was a horrible center to begin his career. He couldn't even crack the team full time until his 4th season and played wing a lot of games. Nylander is already better than him at faceoffs at their real ages.

All I was saying is the fact Kadri was able to develop into a good center after it looked like he may be converted to wing early in his career can suggest there's a chance Nylander can become a center. If he doesn't then he doesn't.

Nylander took over 600 faceoffs last season and won > 50 % of them so it's pretty absurd people are writing him off as becoming a center one day. What pure winger takes over 600 draws? When Matthews was injured Nylander played center. How does that suggest management is writing him off as being a center eventually?

If all of that suggests ZERO chance Nylander can be a center one day then I'm clearly talking to a brick wall.

Wilson was an asshat and had it out for Kadri in what many believe was the worse treatment of a top prospect we have ever had!

Facts are an issue with you Kadri was a full time center at 22 years old getting 44 points in 48 games. Nylander will not be a Center and he is 22 years old. Same age by the way!

As for faceoffs Nylander took faceoffs only on his strong side and not defensive faceoffs, which does not make him a center. Kadri tales faceoffs against the best in the game on both sides of the ice.

When Mathews was hurt Marleau played center a lot not Nylander and Nylander play a couple of games at center and that was it. You make it seem like he played all those game at center when that was simply not true. You suggesting that he is a better center than Kadri is a joke at any age.

Babcock does not trust Nylander late in games as a winger and you believe he would have him play center...lol he is not now an NHL Center nor have I ever believed he was going to be one at least not for Babcock he lacks the jam to play center. The fact the Leafs were looking at Ryan proves that Babcock did not see Willy as a center as they were not going to pay him 3.5 m per to play 4th line center.

The fact still remains that Kadri is a center and Willy is not. So it is impossible for Willy to be better st center then Kadri if not playing the position. Is that to hard for you to understand?
 

hullsy47

Registered User
Dec 7, 2005
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Wilson was an asshat and had it out for Kadri in what many believe was the worse treatment of a top prospect we have ever had!

Facts are an issue with you Kadri was a full time center at 22 years old getting 44 points in 48 games. Nylander will not be a Center and he is 22 years old. Same age by the way!

As for faceoffs Nylander took faceoffs only on his strong side and not defensive faceoffs, which does not make him a center. Kadri tales faceoffs against the best in the game on both sides of the ice.

When Mathews was hurt Marleau played center a lot not Nylander and Nylander play a couple of games at center and that was it. You make it seem like he played all those game at center when that was simply not true. You suggesting that he is a better center than Kadri is a joke at any age.

Babcock does not trust Nylander late in games as a winger and you believe he would have him play center...lol he is not now an NHL Center nor have I ever believed he was going to be one at least not for Babcock he lacks the jam to play center. The fact the Leafs were looking at Ryan proves that Babcock did not see Willy as a center as they were not going to pay him 3.5 m per to play 4th line center.

The fact still remains that Kadri is a center and Willy is not. So it is impossible for Willy to be better st center then Kadri if not playing the position. Is that to hard for you to understand?
does nylander get 60 plus points without Mathews ,marner can and has .
my guess nylander signs for 5 .5 tops same as trouba got in arbitration .
 

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