With the lack of talented centres on our team, and with the general lack of talented centres in the league, it is important that Nylander be converted to the C position and imo it has to happen as soon as possible.
Actually it is more than just important ... it would essentially be terrible asset management to keep him as a winger, especially when you consider how many good young wingers this team has ready step in and make significant contributions. How many of those wingers could be converted to the C position as well as Willy, who played most of his junior and AHL career as a C.
I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t overly impressed by Willy when Matthews was hurt and he was played as a C, but playing as the 3C he could be played in those sheltered minutes that were given to Bozak-JVR for most of the season. Many times there were games where he would backcheck like crazy and strip the puck to start the play in the other direction, so it’s not like he doesn’t have that in him.
Who would he play with? It would be imperative that the highest paid coach in the league earn his keep and find the best combo of wingers for Willy to play with. Ideally he would be given wingers who are puck hounds and who have speed are capable defensively, but also able to snipe a goal here or there. A winger tandem of Hyman and Kappy would look pretty damn good.
I just believe with the increased value given to quality centres over wingers, it’s just incumbent on the team and the coaching staff to make sure they squeeze out every last bit of potential that Willy has as a C. You think a team like the Scabs wouldn’t be in heaven to have a (potential) #1C like Nylander? Marc Bergevin would burst out of his tight-fitting suits if that would happen.
Here it is, the 2019-2020 Stanley Cup winning Toronto Maple Leafs:
Marleau - Matthews - Marner
Johnsson - Kadri - Brown
Hyman - Nylander - Kappy
Marchment - Altonen - Grundstrom
If Tavares signs here this would all be moot of course but I’m not convinced he will come, and if he does it’s at a price that might force to Leafs hand to eventually make a hard decision like trading Willy to shore up the defence.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE:
Number 3 Center is our only offensive hole & I don't see why Nylander
HAS to fill it:
- Nylander & Marner are the only proven high-end wingers on the Leafs.
- Nylander's the only player that's shown offensive chemistry with Matthews.
- Matthew's production (and +/-) might drop if Nylander is taken off his wing.
- Kadri's production is dramatically reduced when Marner is taken off his wing.
- Nylander's trade value is already high & a 30 point year at Center could ruin it.
Forcing Nylander to play Center feels like poor asset management to me. We stand to lose more than we gain unless he excels.
Marleau is a better option in the short term:
- Marleau's a proven Center & will be defensively responsible at absolute minimum.
- We'll lose a much less valuable top-6 winger, with a much more replaceable skill set.
- We'll gain a more experienced, more versatile & arguable better #3 Center in Marleau.
I'd be happy to start the season with any of the following lineups:
NO UFA FORWARDS ARE SIGNED
HYMAN - MATTHEWS - WILLY
JOHNSON - KADRI - MARNER
BROWN - MARLEAU - KAPPY
GRUNDY - AALTONEN - J.LEIVO
(T.MOORE - LINDHOLM - ENGVALL)
(MARCHY - GAUTHIER - BRACCO)
BOZAK RE-SIGNS (3-5 MIL x 1-3 YRS)
HYMAN - MATTHEWS - WILLY
MARLEAU - KADRI - MARNER
JOHNSON - BOZAK - BROWN
J.LEIVO - AALTONEN - KAPPY
(GRUNDY - LINDHOLM - ENGVALL)
(MOORE - GAUTHIER - MARCHY)
TAVARES SIGNS (9-11 MIL x 7 YRS)
HYMAN - MATTHEWS - WILLY
MARLEAU - TAVARES - MARNER
JOHNSON - KADRI - BROWN
J.LEIVO - AALTONEN - KAPPY
(GRUNDY - LINDHOLM - ENGVALL)
(MOORE - GAUTHIER - MARCHY)
I'm fine with bringing back
Bozak if needed. I never saw him or JVR as defensive anchors on their own. It always seemed like their biggest problem was being paired together, which left too much defensive responsibility on the 3rd man. Last year it was Brown (and his production took a nose dive). The year prior it was Marner (who broke out offensively the moment he moved to Kadri's line).
I think
Martin needs to go by year end. But a buyout is definitely not the answer if he can't be traded (it saves less cap-space than burying him & creates 2 extra cap-hit years). I'd rather trade him for a higher (1-year) salary that's already on LTIR.
For example:
TORONTO GETS: DAVE BOLLAND
Remaining Cap Hit = $5,500,000 x 1 (buried on LTIR)
Remaining Salary = $5,500,000
- Increased usable cap-space in 2018-19 due to LTIR (not important).
- A 1-year contract that will be 100% off the books before 2019-20.
- We'll also avoid carry-over penalties that LTIR can cause (we'll have to sit on some cap space this year since we need around $17,000,000 free for Matthews & Marner next year).
ARIZONA GETS: MATT MARTIN
Remaining Cap Hit = $2,500,000 x 2
Remaining Salary = $750,000 + $1,750,000 = $2,500,000
- $3,000,000 in actual cash savings (they lose money so the owner should be happy).
- Someone healthy who can actually play if he cracks the roster.
- Veteran leadership to help develop their young prospects.
- They never spend to the cap, so Martin's cap hit is meaningless to them.
In my opinion - there is a 0% chance Arizona rejects this trade. They get something for nothing, they have a self imposed cap that's lower than the NHL cap & the owner saves $3,000,000 without the possibility of making his team worse.