Jonathan Drouin vs William Nylander

[Snowman]

I really am amazed that so many posters are willing to throw away any and all credibility they could have when Nylander comes up in conversation. Nylander is still just as good as he was the last two years, and he just had a long stretch of games where he played C (remember that whole debate?) and looked fantastic.

The answer is quite obviously Nylander and no "but his pace!" changes that. I know that argument is nonsense, you know that argument is nonsense, so let's just leave it at the door.

The whole "you have to discard Nylander's performance this year when evaluating him and only consider the years he played well" argument, championed by Leafs fans is the real nonsense argument that needs to be ignored. I know it and you know it. So just leave it at the door.

 

[Placid Perspicuity]

I really am amazed that so many posters are willing to throw away any and all credibility they could have when Nylander comes up in conversation. Nylander is still just as good as he was the last two years, and he just had a long stretch of games where he played C (remember that whole debate?) and looked fantastic.

The answer is quite obviously Nylander and no "but his pace!" changes that. I know that argument is nonsense, you know that argument is nonsense, so let's just leave it at the door.

Part of the problem is that many of these people don't actually know how these players play. They watch stats, highlight clips and (worst of all,) get swayed by the opinions on this site. Just look at the comments disparaging Nylander; they put all the weight on points this season and ignore everything else. No pro scout works like this. Many people who have been watching hockey for decades realize that it is common for a player to have ups and downs. Judging any player exclusively on either the highs or lows will not give an accurate assessment of abilities. It's common sense. Some posters don't have it. Just be glad that these posters don't work for your team where their woeful lack of knowledge could actually have meaning.

 

[lawrence]

Was always a fan of drouin. Said this before, said this during his holdout, (not a fan of him not wanting to stay in the ahl, forcing a trade) it’s him for me. Nylander is a less hassle player but drouin for me.

 

[justafan22]

both these guys have had bad seasons

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Nylander easily

Drouin is trash. 4 assists in last 15 games and those 4 assists came in 1 game. Scoreless in 14 of his last 15 games.

Even with that, he's on pace for more points/game than the great Nylander...

 

[Menzinger]

Even with that, he's on pace for more points/game than the great Nylander...

For the first season of his career, and all it took was Nylander missing 40% of the season and starting with the biggest slump of his professional period

 

[LeafGrief]

The whole "you have to discard Nylander's performance this year when evaluating him and only consider the years he played well" argument, championed by Leafs fans is the real nonsense argument that needs to be ignored. I know it and you know it. So just leave it at the door.

Where did I say we discard Nylander's performance this year? He is still just as good as he was last year, I meant what I typed. He sucked for twenty games and has been fantastic since the all-star break. He's playing great this year and if you think that those twenty games where he sucked are going to define his career, then you're completely out to lunch (and about 20 games out of date). But between you and me, we both know that you are exactly the kind of person I was talking about in my first post.

 

[Meeqs]

Imo Nylander is the better player, however Drouin has the better contract, and the gap in the contract is bigger than the gap in skill.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

For the first season of his career, and all it took was Nylander missing 40% of the season and starting with the biggest slump of his professional period

And not leaching from Auston. Maybe it's only a coincidence.

His two seasons where he got 61 points, he played a lot with Matthews...

In 2016-2017 he played 41.98% of the time with him at EVS.
In 2017-2018 he played 50.94% of the time with Matthews at EVS.

And this season without Matthews on his line, he's struggling... Surprise surprise.

Drouin with Matthews can achieve the same, I'm 100% confident.

 

[Menzinger]

And not leaching from Auston. Maybe it's only a coincidence.

His two seasons where he got 61 points, he played a lot with Matthews...

In 2016-2017 he played 41.98% of the time with him at EVS.
In 2017-2018 he played 50.94% of the time with Matthews at EVS.

And this season without Matthews on his line, he's struggling... Surprise surprise.

Drouin with Matthews can achieve the same, I'm 100% confident.

His first NHL callup he scored at a near 50 point pace playing alongside other AHL talent on a horrible Leafs team.

This idea that Nylander is purely a product of Matthews is just lazy

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

His first NHL callup he scored at a near 50 point pace playing alongside other AHL talent on a horrible Leafs team.

This idea that Nylander is purely a product of Matthews is just lazy

In 22 games, that's not enough.

 

[Snowman]

Where did I say we discard Nylander's performance this year? He is still just as good as he was last year, I meant what I typed. He sucked for twenty games and has been fantastic since the all-star break. He's playing great this year and if you think that those twenty games where he sucked are going to define his career, then you're completely out to lunch (and about 20 games out of date). But between you and me, we both know that you are exactly the kind of person I was talking about in my first post.

I think that you just have a hard time admitting this could be the new Nylander. Teams have figured Nylander out now, they know a little bit of physicality used on him has him heading for the bench. He's a super soft, perimeter player that can only produce of he plays with other very high end talent. If you put Nylander with players where he needs to be the man, you get 34 point pace Nylander. We both know that your exactly the type of poster I was talking about in my first post.

 

[Menzinger]

I think that you just have a hard time admitting this could be the new Nylander. Teams have figured Nylander out now, they know a little bit of physicality used on him has him heading for the bench. He's a super soft, perimeter player that can only produce of he plays with other very high end talent. If you put Nylander with players where he needs to be the man, you get 34 point pace Nylander. We both know that your exactly the type of poster I was talking about in my first post.

If you do a heat map of Nylander’s shot locations they’re always from prime shooting locations.

Labeling him as a “perimeter player” is just a meaningless and nonsensical label

 

[Menzinger]

In 22 games, that's not enough.

Just like his cold start to this season, or Drouin current cold streak.

With such young players these relatively small samples are meaningless

 

[LeafGrief]

I think that you just have a hard time admitting this could be the new Nylander. Teams have figured Nylander out now, they know a little bit of physicality used on him has him heading for the bench. He's a super soft, perimeter player that can only produce of he plays with other very high end talent. If you put Nylander with players where he needs to be the man, you get 34 point pace Nylander. We both know that your exactly the type of poster I was talking about in my first post.

AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAA

AHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA

The new Nylander? He's been incredible for almost two months. He's engaged physically every game and dominated possession for weeks playing centre between Marleau and Brown. Since reuniting with Matthews they've been fantastic as well.

You could not be more wrong if you tried. Keep clinging to him sucking for 20 games. I watched him suck for 20 games and I've watched him playing great for the most recent 20. I'm not ignoring anything, while your narrative is 20 games old at this point.

Your post is a coles notes of the "piss Leafs fans off about Nylander" playbook. It's pretty clear that you don't have a single original thought on the topic and are just parroting what you've read elsewhere. If for one moment it seemed like you actually had insight on Nylander's play as of late or even an interesting take I might care about what you had to say. But you don't, so congrats on the +1 post count.

lmao, the new Nylander

 

[Dache]

AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAA

AHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA

The new Nylander? He's been incredible for almost two months. He's engaged physically every game and dominated possession for weeks playing centre between Marleau and Brown. Since reuniting with Matthews they've been fantastic as well.

You could not be more wrong if you tried. Keep clinging to him sucking for 20 games. I watched him suck for 20 games and I've watched him playing great for the most recent 20. I'm not ignoring anything, while your narrative is 20 games old at this point.

Your post is a coles notes of the "piss Leafs fans off about Nylander" playbook. It's pretty clear that you don't have a single original thought on the topic and are just parroting what you've read elsewhere. If for one moment it seemed like you actually had insight on Nylander's play as of late or even an interesting take I might care about what you had to say. But you don't, so congrats on the +1 post count.

lmao, the new Nylander

I’ll agree he’s playing much better, but to be fair he has 12 pts in those games. Wouldn’t exactly say incredible

 

[Leafidelity]

For the first season of his career, and all it took was Nylander missing 40% of the season and starting with the biggest slump of his professional period

Drouin is definitely better than Nylander... when Nylander has an arm behind his back and closes one eye.

Watching a game like tonight should clear up any debate going on in here. This is the player Nylander's been for the majority of his 2.5 year career. The guy with more points in his rookie season than Drouin has had in any of his five year career.

 

[The Podium]

I think that you just have a hard time admitting this could be the new Nylander. Teams have figured Nylander out now, they know a little bit of physicality used on him has him heading for the bench. He's a super soft, perimeter player that can only produce of he plays with other very high end talent. If you put Nylander with players where he needs to be the man, you get 34 point pace Nylander. We both know that your exactly the type of poster I was talking about in my first post.

And not leaching from Auston. Maybe it's only a coincidence.

His two seasons where he got 61 points, he played a lot with Matthews...

In 2016-2017 he played 41.98% of the time with him at EVS.
In 2017-2018 he played 50.94% of the time with Matthews at EVS.

And this season without Matthews on his line, he's struggling... Surprise surprise.

Drouin with Matthews can achieve the same, I'm 100% confident.

Both of you should probably watch a few Leaf games. Nylander since the Allstar break has been playing the best hockey of his career, despite what the stat line says.

 

[LeafGrief]

I’ll agree he’s playing much better, but to be fair he has 12 pts in those games. Wouldn’t exactly say incredible

He's spent a lot of those games playing centre between Marleau and Brown, who are next to useless and he gets 2nd PP unit time. His production isn't anything to write home about, I'm well aware, but his actual play has been great. It's why the new Nylander line is so funny. He's been engaging in puck battles and taking hits to make plays. He's been working hard in the defensive end (both as a winger and C). He's been taking the puck to the scoring areas. All the normal criticisms of soft, bad defensively, and a perimieter player haven't applied.

Yeah, his production hasn't been up to his standards, but when he's been playing this well and has 5a in his last 4 games why the hell should we be worried about him? A player putting in this much work is going to be rewarded on the scoresheet eventually, and it looks like it's finally starting to come.

 

[ole ole]

His first NHL callup he scored at a near 50 point pace playing alongside other AHL talent on a horrible Leafs team.

This idea that Nylander is purely a product of Matthews is just lazy

Oh in those 22 games. He could have easily scored at a 20 pt pace in the next 40 .
His big seasons where he actually did put up points he player mostly with Matthews.

 

[WillTheThrill]

Nylander with 18 points in last 24 games. Still not the production he’s capable of, but a lot better than where he was a few months ago. He regularly looks like the Leafs best player. Only shooting 5.4%. That’s bound to come up.

 

[Dache]

He's spent a lot of those games playing centre between Marleau and Brown, who are next to useless and he gets 2nd PP unit time. His production isn't anything to write home about, I'm well aware, but his actual play has been great. It's why the new Nylander line is so funny. He's been engaging in puck battles and taking hits to make plays. He's been working hard in the defensive end (both as a winger and C). He's been taking the puck to the scoring areas. All the normal criticisms of soft, bad defensively, and a perimieter player haven't applied.

Yeah, his production hasn't been up to his standards, but when he's been playing this well and has 5a in his last 4 games why the hell should we be worried about him? A player putting in this much work is going to be rewarded on the scoresheet eventually, and it looks like it's finally starting to come.

I agreed he’s playing better. Just commenting that incredible is a little over the top. With his skill set if he’s playing incredible the point totals should be higher. And let’s not act like Marleau and Brown are complete garbage when in multiple other threads I’ve heard otherwise.

 

[LeafGrief]

I agreed he’s playing better. Just commenting that incredible is a little over the top. With his skill set if he’s playing incredible the point totals should be higher. And let’s not act like Marleau and Brown are complete garbage when in multiple other threads I’ve heard otherwise.

If you want to get hung up on the semantics of "incredible" then knock yourself out.

His points should be higher, he has the lowest oiSH% of any Leaf this season (not counting Leivo) and a personal shooting percentage of 5.4% (which is half of what he had first two seasons). His on ice play and his advanced stats point to a guy who's due for some puck luck. Pick a milder synonym for incredible (such as great, pretty darn good, awesome) and we're good to go.

 

[Dache]

If you want to get hung up on the semantics of "incredible" then knock yourself out.

His points should be higher, he has the lowest oiSH% of any Leaf this season (not counting Leivo) and a personal shooting percentage of 5.4% (which is half of what he had first two seasons). His on ice play and his advanced stats point to a guy who's due for some puck luck. Pick a milder synonym for incredible (such as great, pretty darn good, awesome) and we're good to go.

I think better than he was playing is appropriate

 

[joe dirte]

The whole "you have to discard Nylander's performance this year when evaluating him and only consider the years he played well" argument, championed by Leafs fans is the real nonsense argument that needs to be ignored. I know it and you know it. So just leave it at the door.

Uhh, hes been right back at a 60 to 70 point pace after about his first 20 games. Whoch is in line with his first 2 seasons. Both of which would be career bests for drouin.

I shouldnt be surprised but this poll should be a landslide win for nylander.