Kapanen or Nylander?

[Shayne Corsi]

Those writing Kapanen off as merely a "hustle player" not worthy of carrying Nylander's skates must be watching a different game than I am. Kappy has plenty of skill and finesse; he just happens to complement it with grit. I'd love to see Kappy / AM34 / Nylander as the top line. Marleau despite playing on a line with one of the best players on earth has been anemic. Love the guy, but he looks kinda cooked ...

 

[NiL8r87]

Kapanen goes 2 places you will very seldom find Nylander, the corners and the front of the net.

I don't think Kapanen is that good on the boards at all. I've seen him let up a bunch of times. Nylander is much stronger although he's not great on the boards either.

 

[rumman]

I don't think Kapanen is that good on the boards at all. I've seen him let up a bunch of times. Nylander is much stronger although he's not great on the boards either.

completely disagree

 

[Arthur Morgan]

I dont think Willy will be back. will be sad to see him go. I just cant see them signing a deal.
so I have to say Kap :/

 

[mallory67]

what does Nylander do better?
faster-nope
bigger stronger-nope
compete level-nope
better defensively-nope
affordability-nope
Nylander is all flash, he has a marginally better shot, but not good enough to score from his couch in Sweden! Trade him for help on the D, he's EXPENDABLE, Mathews makes every player he plays with better, Nylander rides on AM's coattails, put him with average players and he's nothing special. All this AND he and his Reps are difficult to deal with, move on Dubas, move on..............

Nylander is a better play-maker.
Defense is a wash ... Nylander strips pucks off a lot of guys.
Nylander better shot.
Nylander better on the power play.
Skating is a wash, Nylander is pretty damn smooth if slightly slower.
Neither one is "bigger/stronger". Though Nylander I would say is more muscular.

Affordability? Why do you think there is a difference there?
Nylander is for sure a $6M+ player.

 

[Menzinger]

It’s almost as if the Leafs don’t have to choose between them....

 

[luvdahattymatty]

Gramps here. Got a cold so watched tonight on TV. Kappy made me a believer. When Nylander signs he will make Kadris line better. I love Brownie a good Toronto boy but he has had a weak start to year. And the Swede has played much better than i thought. Johnsson looked great in scrimmages in camp but he is definetely the weak link and needs more press box as 13th man. The fourth line can add Brownie with Goat and Leivo they kill minutes and are hard to play against.

 

[socko]

Those writing Kapanen off as merely a "hustle player" not worthy of carrying Nylander's skates must be watching a different game than I am. Kappy has plenty of skill and finesse; he just happens to complement it with grit. I'd love to see Kappy / AM34 / Nylander as the top line. Marleau despite playing on a line with one of the best players on earth has been anemic. Love the guy, but he looks kinda cooked ...

I just want them to explain to Marleau that he's playing with one of the leagues best players and taking really low quality shots on goal is not going to be acceptable. If he can do that, I think he'll be alright. He still has the wheels.

 

[Dayjobdave]

Nylander is a better playmaker and has a better shot, and is probably the best zone entry player the Leafs have. Kapanen is very talented, very fast and excellent at going to the net. they are both great on the boards. Kapanen is a better pure defensive player.

i say keep both, but maybe play Kapanen with Matthews. That seems to be working.

 

[SoCal Leafs]

I'd love to see Kappy with AM34 and Willy. That combination would give opponents fits. Marleau can go back on Kadri's wing and hopefully get that line going offensively.

 

[Puckstuff]

Marner, Nylander, Marleau, Nylander, Hyman, Lindholm, Brown, Leivo, Johnsson, Grundstrom. Leafs management went borderline insane acquiring depth

 

[rumman]

Nylander is a better play-maker.
Defense is a wash ... Nylander strips pucks off a lot of guys.
Nylander better shot.
Nylander better on the power play.
Skating is a wash, Nylander is pretty damn smooth if slightly slower.
Neither one is "bigger/stronger". Though Nylander I would say is more muscular.

Affordability? Why do you think there is a difference there?
Nylander is for sure a $6M+ player.

I'll agree to Nylander having a bettershot, marginally, but not better: defensively; or faster; or stronger. And he's actually playing. Nylander if or when he comes back will be riding shotgun on Kadri's wing, no way he replaces Kappy with Mathews, just too much chemistry between the two of them right now.

 

[Menzinger]

I'd love to see Kappy with AM34 and Willy. That combination would give opponents fits. Marleau can go back on Kadri's wing and hopefully get that line going offensively.

I think Marleau would benefit more from getting easier minutes.

I like him better than Hyman on that line, but Kapanen AND Nylander would be much better.

 

[Shayne Corsi]

Biggest thing we're missing from Nylander is his otherworldly neutral zone play; the guy is an absolute magician at carrying the puck through the neutral zone and profitably entering the zone. Kapanen is a huge upgrade on Ennis in this regard, but I would argue that Nylander is the best player on our team in this respect. I would love to see what that line could do with Nylander in Marleau's spot. I can't see Babcock separating Matthews and Kapanen at this point.

 

[socko]

I don't want Nylander back on Matthews line. The puck needs to be on Matthews stick. As you saw today, he's more than capable of setting up goals if he's got the puck and has someone on his line to pass to.

 

[mallory67]

I'll agree to Nylander having a bettershot, marginally, but not better: defensively; or faster; or stronger. And he's actually playing. Nylander if or when he comes back will be riding shotgun on Kadri's wing, no way he replaces Kappy with Mathews, just too much chemistry between the two of them right now.

Nylander might be stapled to Kadri for a while ... but not because he is better/worse than Kappy.
Kadri's line needs more scroring punch and Nylander could provide it.

Though, very impressed with Kappy. I thought he was another Grabner type, with good wheels but stone hands.
Those two goals tonight were high skill.

 

[luvdahattymatty]

Socko is right. Nylander was never a good fit for Matthews. Nylander has puck too much. Matty needs to have all the time. Better Nylander with Kadri. Kadri will benefit and get his scoring touch back. Kadri is not the checking line anymore either. That ship has sailed. Matty will go up against team best line from now onwards. and Kappy helps him in checking side too. It was a great idea for Nylander to hold out because now everyone knows what is best going forward.

 

[Puckstuff]

It’s almost as if the Leafs don’t have to choose between them....

It's going to be very close.

Assuming we lock up the main core and have Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Rielly, Kadri, Andersen locked in; we can probably keep 2 of Kapanen, Dermott and Nylander long term and in a unique scenario all 3. If we keep all 3, we can't upgrade RD externally.

It's critical that Dubas locks in Kapanen before he get's his value above 4 million as well.

If the salary cap goes up to 82 million.

I like this model.

FORWARD - 56 million
top 6 = 45 million
bottom 6 = 11.0 million

DEFENCE - 17.5 million

GOALIE - 6.5 million

= 80.2 million.

top 6

Matthews = 12.5
Tavares= 11.0
Marner = 9.0
Nylander = 6.5
Kapanen = 3.75 million
Hyman = 2.25

= 45.0 million

bottom 6
Kadri = 4.5 million
Brown = 2.1 million
Lindhom = 1.7 million
Gauthier = 600 k
Leivo = 1 million
Johnsson = 1 million

= 10.9 million.

total forwards: 56 million.

DEFENCE -

Rielly = 5.0 million
Zaitsev = 4.5 million
RD - Tanev/Spurgeon/etc = 5.0 million
OZ = 1.5 million (min starting next year)
Dermott = 863 k
Rosen = 925 k

Total defence = 17.7 million.

GOALIE = 6.5 MILLION
Andersen (5)
Sparks (1.5)



TOTAL = 80.2 million.

does not include Kessel or extra forwards.

So when Dermott is up in 2019/20 and needs a raise we will need to choose between Dermott/Nylander/Kapanen or never upgrading RD.

I'm actually quite happy knowing once Marleau is of the books we will be able to keep 90 % of the core.

It's the Johnsson, Grundstrom, Sparks, OZ, Leivo type guys we will lose if they increase their value.

FYI I did this really fast so might not be perfect, but it's a general idea

 

[Not My Tempo]

It's going to be very close.

Assuming we lock up the main core and have Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Rielly, Kadri, Andersen locked in; we can probably keep 2 of Kapanen, Dermott and Nylander long term and in a unique scenario all 3. If we keep all 3, we can't upgrade RD externally.

It's critical that Dubas locks in Kapanen before he get's his value above 4 million as well.

If the salary cap goes up to 82 million.

I like this model.

FORWARD - 56 million
top 6 = 45 million
bottom 6 = 11.0 million

DEFENCE - 17.5 million

GOALIE - 6.5 million

= 80.2 million.

top 6

Matthews = 12.5
Tavares= 11.0
Marner = 9.0
Nylander = 6.5
Kapanen = 3.75 million
Hyman = 2.25

= 45.0 million

bottom 6
Kadri = 4.5 million
Brown = 2.1 million
Lindhom = 1.7 million
Gauthier = 600 k
Leivo = 1 million
Johnsson = 1 million

= 10.9 million.

total forwards: 56 million.

DEFENCE -

Rielly = 5.0 million
Zaitsev = 4.5 million
RD - Tanev/Spurgeon/etc = 5.0 million
OZ = 1.5 million (min starting next year)
Dermott = 863 k
Rosen = 925 k

Total defence = 17.7 million.

GOALIE = 6.5 MILLION
Andersen (5)
Sparks (1.5)



TOTAL = 80.2 million.

does not include Kessel or extra forwards.

So when Dermott is up in 2019/20 and needs a raise we will need to choose between Dermott/Nylander/Kapanen or never upgrading RD.

I'm actually quite happy knowing once Marleau is of the books we will be able to keep 90 % of the core.

It's the Johnsson, Grundstrom, Sparks, OZ, Leivo type guys we will lose if they increase their value.

FYI I did this really fast so might not be perfect, but it's a general idea

I think the general idea is that Liljegren should be able to slide in as the number 6 RD. They’re giving him top minutes in the Marlies, and getting him to PK too.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

I don't want Nylander back on Matthews line. The puck needs to be on Matthews stick. As you saw today, he's more than capable of setting up goals if he's got the puck and has someone on his line to pass to.

I argued for that previous seasons. And that Matthews and Nylander has great chemistry is really not an argument. Those two have great chemistry with everyone they play with. They are just that good. Same goes for Tavares and Marner. Highly skilled players with high hockey IQ will simply find ways to make their line work.

 

[Caffeine]

Nylander is a better play-maker.
Defense is a wash ... Nylander strips pucks off a lot of guys.
Nylander better shot.
Nylander better on the power play.
Skating is a wash, Nylander is pretty damn smooth if slightly slower.
Neither one is "bigger/stronger". Though Nylander I would say is more muscular.

Affordability? Why do you think there is a difference there?
Nylander is for sure a $6M+ player.

Kapanen is listed as 6'1 and Nylander is listed as 6'0. These nhl.com listings are pretty f***ed up but if they were the same height its very unlikely they would be listed listed differently. So according to this Kapanen is actually "bigger".

 

[Svanstrom]

so you think Nylander's is: faster, stronger, bigger, better defensively, and more affordable than Kappy, interesting..............

Nylander is more skilled, better playmaker, better skater, with a better wrist shot.
Kapanen is faster, grittier, better forechecker, better around the net and on top of that very skilled.
Two very different players. I'd still want to see them both on Matthews line. Talk about a line being dynamic...

 

[Not My Tempo]

I don't know why some people are trying to paint the emergence of Kapanen as a bad thing. (Mostly on Leafs Twitter)

"Great now we have to pay him too"

Last week he was worth maybe a 2nd round pick. If he keeps playing this way, and prices himself out of the team, we'd actually be able to get a decent return for him. Instead of trading Nylander for a second pair defensemen plus a couple of picks, maybe Kapanen will bring his value up to the point we we can just trade him outright for the defensemen? Not saying any of this will or should happen, but an asset increasing in value isn't a bad thing.

 

[LeafGrief]

I don't know why some people are trying to paint the emergence of Kapanen as a bad thing. (Mostly on Leafs Twitter)

"Great now we have to pay him too"

Last week he was worth maybe a 2nd round pick. If he keeps playing this way, and prices himself out of the team, we'd actually be able to get a decent return for him. Instead of trading Nylander for a second pair defensemen plus a couple of picks, maybe Kapanen will bring his value up to the point we we can just trade him outright for the defensemen? Not saying any of this will or should happen, but an asset increasing in value isn't a bad thing.

I totally agree. Assets appreciating in value is always a good thing because we can trade them to lock in the gains. I imagine that we would keep Kapanen and Nylander this year to run a disgusting forward lineup for the playoffs, but next summer when we're trying to sign Matthews and Marner, Kappy could get moved because we can't afford to give him a $5m deal. A 22 year old RFA winger who's asking $5m is going to get a pretty decent haul in return and I imagine that's where we get the defenceman we need.

 

[Oan]

Do you refer to all your players as "assets", or only those that aren't your own draft picks?