Prospects and Marlies Thread - April 2016

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

Nylander's vision is what makes him so good and I'm going withhold judgement about his playoff performance until we see him in the NHL playoffs.

He has a lot of development left and is in really good hands.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Nylander's vision is what makes him so good and I'm going withhold judgement about his playoff performance until we see him in the NHL playoffs.

He has a lot of development left and is in really good hands.

I thought his vision was visibly impressive in almost every game at the NHL level. It was pretty much the most impressive thing about him. I find it hilarious that someone attacks that part of his game, although I'm not surprised considering the source.

Ok, but that doesn't change the fact that his play style is what it is. Stereotypically his style isn't "suited for the playoffs" or so TV analysts would tell you. You don't see that as a concern at all?

I just see it as another reason to question stereotypes, and not listen to TV analysts.

With that said, he hasn't been good.

 

[Purity*]

3 games and we're questioning Nylander's ability to produce in the playoffs.

Welp that's enough HFBoards for today...




WHAT THE **** IS WRONG WITH THIS FORUM NOWADAYS

 

[ILoveDraftDay]

This thread is about projected lineups next year. And just throwing in "long term" is somewhat ambigious. Nielson is several years away from playing for the leafs. I mean you might as well pencil in Bracco while your at it.

1. Still wrong.

2. Given his thought was specifically directed at defence...Bracco is not relevant.

 

[WTFMAN99]

He's been absent at a lot of practices and I believe missed the first game entirely. He isn't 100%

 

[Daisy Jane]

He's been absent at a lot of practices and I believe missed the first game entirely. He isn't 100%

he isn't. the Marlies flat out stated he's sick. and as the Marlies adapt the leafs rule of thumb - if he was injured they'd say so and if it was just him being "flat" they would say that too - but it's part of the development practice.

as for everything else, holy. hell, some times i want to smack so many people. He's 19. (20 in a few days if not already). He's still developing. sometimes it takes a hell of a long time for players to "get it." i am getting so sick of the term "homer" because people like to (shock) wait for a certain amount of games (ie: more than 20 - we're talking at least 200-300 games) before we see what we've got.or at the very least 150 (if 300 is for defense, I'm guessing 150 for forwards).

honestly.

 

[WTFMAN99]

he isn't. the Marlies flat out stated he's sick. and as the Marlies adapt the leafs rule of thumb - if he was injured they'd say so and if it was just him being "flat" they would say that too - but it's part of the development practice.

as for everything else, holy. hell, some times i want to smack so many people. He's 19. (20 in a few days if not already). He's still developing. sometimes it takes a hell of a long time for players to "get it." i am getting so sick of the term "homer" because people like to (shock) wait for a certain amount of games (ie: more than 20 - we're talking at least 200-300 games) before we see what we've got.or at the very least 150 (if 300 is for defense, I'm guessing 150 for forwards).

honestly.

Spot on.

 

[leburn98]

Both Gretzky and Lemieux were criticized as being floaters early on, I don't think anyone here wouldn't want them in their prime.

The sad thing is, I can see much of the same type of threads popping up if Matthews doesn't come in and light it up for the Leafs next year. Such is the way of a fanbase this large.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Both Gretzky and Lemieux were criticized as being floaters early on, I don't think anyone here wouldn't want them in their prime.

The sad thing is, I can see much of the same type of threads popping up if Matthews doesn't come in and light it up for the Leafs next year. Such is the way of a fanbase this large.

i am gonna tell you if Matthews doesn't get a point or something in his first three games, people are gonna be all like "We shoulda drafted Laine."

and it has nothing to do with a fanbase this large, it has a lot of things that people can flat out be stupid at times.

 

[Hurt]

What is Willie sick with? Like a flu or something? Probably not concussion symptoms or he wouldn't be playing.

 

[Daisy Jane]

What is Willie sick with? Like a flu or something? Probably not concussion symptoms or he wouldn't be playing.

i heard someone say mono which doesn't seem right because Mono = lots and lots of rest.
it easily could be the flu.

 

[Deebo]

3 games and we're questioning Nylander's ability to produce in the playoffs.

Welp that's enough HFBoards for today...




WHAT THE **** IS WRONG WITH THIS FORUM NOWADAYS

It's pretty much one or two people, then a bunch of people yelling at them.

 

[rdawg1234]

He literally just had the flu, I'd give him a couple days to get back to speed.

 

[Stats01]

if he had mono he'd barely be able to get to the arena let alone get through a practice or a game. I'm pretty sure it's the flu and even with that..it can definitely take you off your game, I just don't get the complete overreaction on a kid 3 games into his playoff career 1 of them included while being sick...some leaf fans on here really irk me sometimes. Take a freaking chill pill

 

[Menzinger]

I always find the argument that certain players are more "clutch" in the playoffs to be tenuous at best.

Nylander has performed just fine in thee situations.'

Agreed. You build your core with players who will elevate themselves come playoff time, and you can use a highly skilled offensive player like Nylander on a 2nd or 3rd line and a PP specialist. I think that's how he is best suited. It will be interesting to see who he ends up gelling with best when he's with the Leafs.

There is no possible way that Nylander will be a third liner.

 

[Swervin81]

Oh beautiful, just what I ordered. A nice entree of small sample size with a nice side dish of recency bias.

First of all, Willie's sick. Got a flu. It's not serious, but it's still a pretty big hindrance when you can't focus properly due to an illness hindering you. Secondly, Willie doesn't play an all out crash and bang game. He plays with calm and poise. He is very controlled and calculating with how he moves and makes sure to process things fast enough so that he has a good idea of where he should go, but not a too slow so that he just floats back (which is sometimes what he's guilty of) The problem is, sometimes he is too slow on those reads, but that improves with more reps and experience and requires you to have full mental capacity, which you aren't going to have when you are sick.

 

[Menzinger]

Both Gretzky and Lemieux were criticized as being floaters early on, I don't think anyone here wouldn't want them in their prime.

The sad thing is, I can see much of the same type of threads popping up if Matthews doesn't come in and light it up for the Leafs next year. Such is the way of a fanbase this large.

People confusing a certain playing style with so-called a players so-called "comepete level" way too often.

 

[Gabriel426]

I am going to bring this up again, Simmons or Jonas, is that you suggesting Willie is Phil 2.0?
He is 19yrs old, he will learn to adjust his plays and make improvements. If he can't do that for 3-4 yrs straight, then he is who he is at that point.

 

[LeafChief]

Hey OP!

Get that gahbage outta heeyaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

 

[666]

you're saying a player's vision doesn't improve? so Nylander is just going to be stuck like this the rest of his career....that is laughable. The speed of the NHL game and what he's dealt with is on a whole other level and it takes experience and time to get adjusted. To say someone is struggling at something and can't do anything about it is as ignorant as it gets. We're talking about humans here not robots. Nylander's whole perception of the game will gradually evolve as he gets older and gains more experience.


That's like looking at Matthews and Laine and judging their vision at this point and saying...."you know what guys, they just don't have it and there's nothing they can do about it"

First liner NHLers always have vision. That's why they dominate at the lower levels, the game actually moves slower for them but they can also keep up at the NHL level. Can some guys adjust? Sure to some extent but Nylander is like a deer in the headlights. It's not that he doesn't want to get into the action it's just that he can't.

We haven't seen Mathews and Laine play a quarter of a season in the NHL but they might not be able to do it either. McDavid and Eichel most certain can and it was obvious from their first games. It's not about points and it's certainly not about skills.

 

[666]

I am going to bring this up again, Simmons or Jonas, is that you suggesting Willie is Phil 2.0?
He is 19yrs old, he will learn to adjust his plays and make improvements. If he can't do that for 3-4 yrs straight, then he is who he is at that point.

Actually Nylanders isn't even close to Phil 2.0. Kessel is one the top players in the league in vision and skill. The major difference between Kessel and Crosby is that Crosby is so much stronger on his skates. He can make holes. Kessel isn't necessarily afraid of contact he just knows that he can't handle it but his vision and skills are close to Crosby's. Nylander has the skills but not the vision or the physical. He'll play in the league but it's unlikely he becomes a first liner.

 

[EXPECT THE LEAFS]

What you think of as "laid back and passive" I consider cerebral, positional, and letting the game come to him. He kind of reminds me of Nick Backstrom in that regard.

 

[Gabriel426]

He is only 19yrs old. I am pretty sure when St. Louis was 19 yrs old, he was trashed by all scouts for being too small, not fast enough, not skill enough....10 yrs later, he got a couple of Harts and a Cup ring.
Now. I am not saying all 19 yrs old is the next St. Louis but Willie is a very talented kid, I just don't see why people are beginning to trash him. His vision is better than most in the NHL and he can handle his own battle. Once he gets stronger and adjust to the speed of the game, he will only get better.

 

[SnazzyNazzy]

Of course he can.

/thread.

Seriously though, in here Im reading that Nylander doesn't have it, and never will. Might as well get rid of him.

 

[p.l.f.]

which linemates would you give matthews?
I'd go:
hyman matthews nylander
grinder with a skill guy that should hold up defensively