Craig Button on Nylander "He's so much better than Taylor Hall, it's frightening"

[teleman]

Leafs fans drooling about these pics is a bit disturbing and embarrassing.

Lesson: Being ripped with a low procentage of body fat doesn't necessarily translate into a big strong mean dude. You want to look ripped like Nylander? Go for a diet a couple of months while still visiting the gym on a regular basis, more protein, less carbohydrates.

Nylander is looking fantastic on the ice, amazing but I still believe he can work on his strength, physical play and defensive awareness. Not a problem for SEL and European hockey but may be for the NHL.

A huge talent for sure, more than a talent because he is already on the verge of becoming a NHL star, after WC he is a big star in Sweden, that's for sure.

I wish Nylander and the Leafs all the best.

He has been working hard and added some strength and muscles, yes (which is great and extremely important for a young player like William).

All I am trying to say (but obviously failing) is that you Leafs fans are exaggerating. Drooling about a ripped William and talking about him like the second coming of Schwarzenegger.

A ripped person with a very low body fat percentage many times look more muscular and stronger than a person not ripped but many times this isn't the whole truth.

He has a good physique for his age, yes, but not a better physique/strength/physical play than most NHLers (my personal view).

If he continue like this, working hard during off-season and improving his strength, physical play and defensive awareness he should become a real star in the NHL (and I would love that to happen).

He is on the right way, yes, but let's not exaggerate, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm ****ing tired of Leafs fans posting half-naked pictures of William in a bathing suit trying to make a statement.

It seems like you are suggesting something sinister bordering on criminal here while generalizing Leaf fans.
When Nylander was first drafted by the Leafs there were numerous comments about his size and that he would not be able to withstand the rigors of playing in a men's league. As I recall the first picture of a shirtless William Nylander was posted in response to those comments.
I don't need to see the pictures you are whining about but I'm not offended. I find your inferences more disturbing.

 

[21]

It seems like you are suggesting something sinister bordering on criminal here while generalizing Leaf fans.
When Nylander was first drafted by the Leafs there were numerous comments about his size and that he would not be able to withstand the rigors of playing in a men's league. As I recall the first picture of a shirtless William Nylander was posted in response to those comments.
I don't need to see the pictures you are whining about but I'm not offended. I find your inferences more disturbing.

Sorry for the generalization, I agree, it is stupid but sometimes it helps when trying to make a point.

I guess I became a bit frustrated when nobody seemed to understand my point and also English isn't my native language.

 

[notsocommonsense]

I feel bad for NJ. Edm creamed them in the trade.

I don't really see how anyone comes to this conclusion after one year, particularly considering how much more talent there is to play w in the edm squad

 

[Albus Dumbledore]

I've always liked willy. His skill set is unreal.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

What made Button decide Taylor Hall was the logical comparison for Nylander?

 

[Canada4Gold]

What made Button decide Taylor Hall was the logical comparison for Nylander?

People always say the Leafs are going to have to trade 1 of the big 3(often Nylander) to get a defenseman. Edmonton traded Hall to get a defenseman. People start to discuss what defenseman the Leafs could get if they trade Nylander. So that potential return gets compared to the Hall return and thus Nylander's value to Hall's. The value comparison between Nylander and Hall has come up a few times on here for the same reasons.

I don't see the Leafs trading Nylander anytime soon. If it ever happens it's likely down the road at least a couple years

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I'm not that scared

 

[notsocommonsense]

I'm not that scared

Button seems easily frightened . . .

He says some really dumb things sometimes

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

there are a few pages on here that are bizzare... kinda went off course for a bit...

anyways, I agree with Button. Nylander will be elite next year and out produce him again

 

[Fear]

The logical thing to do would be to would be to comment on the player's strength, speed, stamina, etc.

rather than comparing shirtless photos and trying to extrapolate which player has better endurance.

It would, but NHL teams don't release the data from their fitness tests (since they don't want other teams to know). So this is what we have

 

[viper0220]

Puberty hit this kid with a shovel.

OMG, look at his thighs, it would be amazing to touch them, I am into bodybuilding and I think good thighs are the best. The Leafs have a very bright future but to say he wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better than Hall, is not right(as now, in the future maybe.)

 

[Muggs]

OMG, look at his thighs, it would be amazing to touch them, I am into bodybuilding and I think good thighs are the best. The Leafs have a very bright future but to say he wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better than Hall, is not right(as now, in the future maybe.)

Look at those blooming deltoids...imagine a couple years from now!

People can deny it all they want, but resistance is futile, this kid belongs in the Rodin Museum.

 

[psycho_dad*]

I think it's fair. Nylander is that much smarter

 

[viper0220]

Creepy much?

Lol, no I am not creepy.

I think it's fair. Nylander is that much smarter

Nylander is very smart, probably smarter than Hall but Hall is being undervalued here. Hall never really played for a good team.

 

[Pyrophorus]

605pts behind his father.

 

[The Bored Man]

I do find many of Craig Button's opinions to be frightening.

 

[ps241]

He compared him to Hall because Hall was traded for Larsson.

Button argued you can get a lot better dman than Larsson if you traded Nylander.

Compared it to Shanahan for Pronger.

That's why he compared him to Hall.

Thanks the context of the comments helps because in a vacuum they seemed odd.

 

[LeafFever]

People always say the Leafs are going to have to trade 1 of the big 3(often Nylander) to get a defenseman. Edmonton traded Hall to get a defenseman. People start to discuss what defenseman the Leafs could get if they trade Nylander. So that potential return gets compared to the Hall return and thus Nylander's value to Hall's. The value comparison between Nylander and Hall has come up a few times on here for the same reasons.

I don't see the Leafs trading Nylander anytime soon. If it ever happens it's likely down the road at least a couple years

The funny thing is the Leafs went out and got a good young RH shot D-Man for free last summer.

 

[Number8]

OMG, look at his thighs, it would be amazing to touch them, I am into bodybuilding and I think good thighs are the best. The Leafs have a very bright future but to say he wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better than Hall, is not right(as now, in the future maybe.)

OK Craig........ now you're stepping over the line here.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Has turned into possibly the weirdest thread ive seen grown ups talk about hahah... The pics are just odd

Almost turning into one of those classic silly threads that will keep randomly coming back to make an appearance haha

 

[schenneuf]

It really is miraculous that with every great forward, defenseman, goalie, coach, and GM Toronto has that they only managed to squeak into the playoffs as an 8 seed and get knocked out immediately

If you stop to consider that Toronto did it with usually 7 rookies in their lineup, then it really is miraculous.
I can kind of see where you're coming from, though, because there are some Leaf posters who definitely overvalue some of our players. But they're no different than some posters from other teams who do the same thing.

 

[izlez]

It would, but NHL teams don't release the data from their fitness tests (since they don't want other teams to know). So this is what we have

....watch....hockey....?

 

[LaymanX]

Not my video (credit to dinglejerry96 on Reddit), but it showcases Nylander's talents in terms of speed, hands, passing, agility.

My personal favorite is the goal against the Slovaks (4th in the video). Backhand to forehand to wrister in a split second.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8O0HPtk0Nk

 

[Panthaz89]

I'd say he's definitely got more value than Hall currently but to say he is way better than Hall is a bit outlandish and saying he's better is debatable though unless Hall starts to play a full season again it won't make much of a difference.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Sorry for the generalization, I agree, it is stupid but sometimes it helps when trying to make a point.

I guess I became a bit frustrated when nobody seemed to understand my point and also English isn't my native language.

As I understood it, your point was that someone with as defined physique as Willie can look stronger than someone with the same muscles but a healthy layer of body fat? Sounds very reasonable to me.

At the same time, I disagree with you on two points. First, I think Nylander is becoming one of those players that have a combination of core strength and puck control that makes them extremely hard to contain. And it's not just the core, over the course of this season I've seen him make a lot of plays one-handed that showcases Crosby-esque strength.

An example would be in the WHC when he entered the zone, swerved along the blueline, held off a player with his body while making a one-handed backhand pass hard on the tape of another forward, showcasing impressive strength in two ways simultaneously.

Second point is shorter. Willie for sure isn't a physical player, but I completely disagree that he in any way needs to be. Physicality is a tool to achieve certain goals, and Willie achieves those goals by other means.