Do we have our 1-2 punch down the middle?

[Smif]

I think both of them will be 1st line centre's on their teams this year and that will change a lot of people's minds on here.

 

[Stephen]

Did you forget that we have Marner/Nylander and Rielly as 1C and 1D? Nylander has played center his entire life except for in the AHL and Marner can play center or wing. You don't need to be over 6'2 to be a center man. There are a lot of guys that are 5'11 and excell at that position.

One more thing to consider is Mitch Marner could still grow. His brother is actually 6'2". So if he's groomed as a centerman and grows another inch or two, you're looking at an elite skilled centerman/winger at a pretty ideal height of 6'1" or so.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/knights-marner-proves-doubters-wrong/

Marner, like the NHL team that drafts him, is hoping he ends up more like his mom and his six-foot-two older brother when it comes to height. And that he fills out, of course. “Doesn’t matter right now, though,” Marner says. “I’m this height and this weight, and I’m gonna play with it.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

It certainly helps...

So does elite skating and vision. There's no one mold for a number one centre.

 

[Ovate]

Both Rielly and Hanifin and LD, I doubt they would have been paired together.

Both are comfortable playing RD. There's a limited number of RD in the NHL and it's feeder leagues, so many LD can play both positions without a noticeable decline in skill

 

[Kurisu]

If Marner becomes the #1C, I don't see the issue of Nylander being the #2 guy (2nd line center). The expectations and defensive responsibility as the #2 guy isn't as difficult as the top line center.

 

[tooncesmeow]

I doubt Marner turns out to be a center. Nylander from his time in the Marlies seems like a center though, he just has the playstyle and vision for it. He likes playing center.

I'm more excited for Bailey then anyone else though. Looked good in his games and has all the tools to be a top 6 winger longterm.

 

[JackJ]

Nylander Kadri Marner

 

[Shwaguy*]

I doubt Marner turns out to be a center. Nylander from his time in the Marlies seems like a center though, he just has the playstyle and vision for it. He likes playing center.

I'm more excited for Bailey then anyone else though. Looked good in his games and has all the tools to be a top 6 winger longterm.

.....You're more excited about Bailey than Marner or Nylander?

 

[BertCorbeau]

Marner - Nylander could be the Leafs Zetterberg - Datsyuk if they pan out .. I'd love to seem them be flexible on the wing and at centre, even on the same line. They seem like two guys that can be used within a versatile top 6 role.

 

[tooncesmeow]

.....You're more excited about Bailey than Marner or Nylander?

Yeah, strangely. Nylander and Marner are a couple years away, and they're going to be unreal, but its like I expect it so I'm not as hype. Bailey is this complete unknown who seems to have everything except experience and I'm really excited to see if we just accidentally stumbled upon a 2nd line forward.

 

[cookie]

Here's the beauty with these center-wingers we're picking: they can slot in both the middle and the wing. This way, the team can put a guy on wing if they feel he's not responsible enough defensively and also one of the reasons why I was so high on picking Zacha. I'm not sure exactly how well Nylander and Marner will play center in the NHL due to their size but then again, our best center is a small Kadri.

 

[tooncesmeow]

Here's the beauty with these center-wingers we're picking: they can slot in both the middle and the wing. This way, the team can put a guy on wing if they feel he's not responsible enough defensively and also one of the reasons why I was so high on picking Zacha. I'm not sure exactly how well Nylander and Marner will play center in the NHL due to their size but then again, our best center is a small Kadri.

Kadri's 6'0 since when is that small? Being 6'3 usually is enough to peg someone as a power forward. 6'1-6'2 the ideal height and the make or break between undersized and mastodon?

 

[Trapper]

Marner - Nylander could be the Leafs Zetterberg - Datsyuk if they pan out .. I'd love to seem them be flexible on the wing and at centre, even on the same line. They seem like two guys that can be used within a versatile top 6 role.

We don't know what the future holds. We've just started our collection and we could draft a player in 16/17 that becomes one of the top 2 centers we never expected.
We can't go wrong stockpiling talent.
We've just gone from McKegg/Ross/Ryan/Broll/Blacker etc., to Nylander/Marner/Brown/Dermott/Bracco.
Now keep doing this. The future has begun.

 

[Trapper]

Kadri's 6'0 since when is that small? Being 6'3 usually is enough to peg someone as a power forward. 6'1-6'2 the ideal height and the make or break between undersized and mastodon?

Kadri is fine. He just needs to strengthen his core. He can't be 210 lbs, he won't be effective. Legs, work on that strength.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Never commented on how good he is. Not even a word about it.

Just don't think he's meant for center. See him more as a Patty Kane.
I hold a firm belief that a #1 center has to have some size. This is absolutely my opinion and not something I am interested in debating, but I look at a guy like Getzlaf, someone who is great at both ends of the ice and has size as the ideal 1C.
Marner or Nylander can be the #2 of the 1-2 punch while the other plays wing with the 1C.

I want to tank next year. We need another top end talent. A core of Marner/Nylander/Rielly is a nice start but its not enough.

I know you said that's your opinion and there's no sense in debating... But id like to correct you with that comparison. that's where you're wrong. The comparisons to Kane are brutal in the sense that the only comparables are his stick handling and size. His perfect comparison is Giroux. Marner is (I still believe so) the better of him and Strome defensively. He is the definition of a two way center outside of size.

Btw guys, Nylander may not be bad defensively but Marner is on a totally different level defensively.
I guess we'll see as time passes.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

After drafting Marner, and having Nylander already in the system, do we have our top end centres in place?

All the other forwards taken in this draft project to be wingers.

I think both Nylander and Marner have to play centre in the AHL and OHL respectively for a full season but otherwise, are we set?

Are we happy? Are we okay with both being 5'11?

I know some people would prefer some size down the middle, but we do have Gauthier in the system.

Both Nylander and Marner play bigger then they are and are not afraid to go in the corners, or to the net. They have high end skill and can find their linemates.

Thoughts?

Maybe we have yet to draft our Jonathan Toews yet? One step at a time.

 

[Orfieus]

I think it is too early to tell. Again we are yr1 in a rebuild, lets see what we have 2-3yrs from now. If by then we don't have that consensus #1 center then we will have a **** ton of high skilled prospects to trade for one.

SJS traded for Thornton. Buffalo traded for ROR. Dallas got Seguin and Spezza through trades.

Just because we don't draft a center does not mean we cannot use our assets to get one.

 

[Mike1]

No for 3 reasons.

1. Everytime I watched Nylander he played wing in the AHL. Now that doesn't mean it can't change but at this point it looks doubtful that he will play center in the NHL.
2. Still a believer in Kadri & his talents. As long as he puts the off ice stuff to bed, he can be a solid no.2 center for us.
3. Not sold at all that the Leafs are done looking a centers with future picks. Especially center's that have the size/skill combination that every team covets.

 

[Mess]

Maybe we have yet to draft our Jonathan Toews yet? One step at a time.

At the moment it looks like we have our Patty Kane and we need our Toews and Keith in the future.

Nylander is our Jordan Eberle and we need our McDavid/RNH/Draisaitl

Bracco is our Johnny Gaudreau and we need our Sean Monahan.

 

[Trapper]

At the moment it looks like we have our Patty Kane and we need our Toews and Keith in the future.

Nylander is our Jordan Eberle and we need our McDavid/RNH/Draisaitl

Bracco is our Johnny Gaudreau and we need our Sean Monahan.

Actually I'm hoping to get to the point where other teams say we need to draft our Marner/Rielly/Nylander/Dermott.

Then we know we've arrived.

 

[CalgaryLeaf*]

I know you said that's your opinion and there's no sense in debating... But id like to correct you with that comparison. that's where you're wrong. The comparisons to Kane are brutal in the sense that the only comparables are his stick handling and size. His perfect comparison is Giroux. Marner is (I still believe so) the better of him and Strome defensively. He is the definition of a two way center outside of size.

Btw guys, Nylander may not be bad defensively but Marner is on a totally different level defensively.
I guess we'll see as time passes.

Marner wears #93 for a reason...Doug Gilmour is his model...Dougie was one of the best 2 way centers of recent history...In fact early in Gilmour's career,he was known more for his defensive play that for his offense...Marner could be a similar type of player.

 

[slozo]

To answer your question, yeah, I think so. Maybe.
One of Kadri or Nylander could become our Cup contending 2nd line centres, with Marner being our cup contending top line centre.

But it's just as likely I'd say that there will be either a player drafted in the future, or acquired, that becomes a part of that elite one-two punch.

Lots of work yet to do.

 

[thatsenoughnow]

I always hoped that Kadri would eventually become the #1 C. I still kind of do, and if Bozak is gone this year I think he will be.. for now at least.

With Marner / Nylander now, I think/hope one of them will be made C and the other will be wing. I don't know much about either except what I read here lol so I can't predict who is going where, but I think it would be best to grow them as a pair for the first line and when that happens Kadri will slide down to 2C and we'll be SET.

 

[leafsrock67]

Marner will most likely be our franchise center. Nylander will be an elite winger, who I hope is developed as a winger and center to some extent.

Marner, Kadri and Gauthier probably round out our top-3 C spots.

I don't see Gauthier as a #3 centre. He is too slow of a skater right now to be able to keep up with some 3rd line players in the league now. The bottom-six isn't filled with enforcers anymore.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

At the moment it looks like we have our Patty Kane and we need our Toews and Keith in the future.

Nylander is our Jordan Eberle and we need our McDavid/RNH/Draisaitl

Bracco is our Johnny Gaudreau and we need our Sean Monahan.

What if we got our Toews caliber center next summer? Stamkos should play Center. Not wing. Perhaps Babcock can convince him to come home? Afterall, Yzerman and Babcock kept a spot open for him to try to make the Olympic team despite being hurt. Babcock must like him.

Stamkos centering Marner? Sounds like a good idea.