C William Nylander (2014, 8th, TOR) VI

[WTFMAN99]

Personally I am not too big of a fan of a player going back multiple times. I know team Sweden would love to have him but for me let some other kid have a chance and fulfil his dream

I think more teams would opt to keep their guy developing down in the AHL. We saw Ottawa decline to let Zibby go after he had previously went.

They let Lazar go despite being on the NHL roster but he had never gone before and he was kind of struggling in the NHL so it was seen as a way to boost up his confidence.

If I were the Leafs, I would send him to the Worlds. He has some unfinished business. Though he had decent points totals in the tournament, his last 2 games of the tourney were not distinguishable where Team Sweden lost the semi final and bronze medal games. Sweden will be gold medal favorites again along with USA and Canada this year. He can play a role in helping them.

He was actually playing pretty well in that last game against Russia. He had a nice goal, the goaltending for Sweden was god awful.

I think it just comes down to this - do the Leafs want to play him against 16-19 year olds in a tournament he already statistically excelled in, or have him focus on develping in the AHL against tougher competition?

I just think at the end of the day he would destroy a lot of the competition he would be up against in the WJC. Would he learn anything?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

He was actually playing pretty well in that last game against Russia. He had a nice goal, the goaltending for Sweden was god awful.

I think it just comes down to this - do the Leafs want to play him against 16-19 year olds in a tournament he already statistically excelled in, or have him focus on develping in the AHL against tougher competition?

I just think at the end of the day he would destroy a lot of the competition he would be up against in the WJC. Would he learn anything?

That's not the way I saw it. He was very quiet in those games. In fairness to him, the entire Swedish team were. But when you are one of the better players on the team, you try to impact those elimination games more. Thus I do think he would benefit from a 2nd chance of getting a medal this year.

 

[KGL]

I don't think it would make sense for Nylander to play at the worlds. He's the Marlies top player, why give away your top player when you're trying to make the playoffs?

 

[WTFMAN99]

That's not the way I saw it. He was very quiet in those games. In fairness to him, the entire Swedish team were. But when you are one of the better players on the team, you try to impact those elimination games more. Thus I do think he would benefit from a 2nd chance of getting a medal this year.

Then we simply saw a different game - that's fine, everyone has their own perspective - This is what I saw...

Nylander was one of the few Swedes able to penetrate the zone. They lost 4-2 in the Bronze medal game, and he got one of Sweden's goals, and actually set up a few great tap-ins and one timer's that weren't converted, sadly they aren't on the score sheet but I thought Nylander did well. Godla for Slovakia had a great tournament, a lot of credit to him.

Also keep in mind for some reason they forced him onto wing and took him away from his regular linemate Kempe (played on different lines entirely), and despite this he put up 10 pts in 7GP. Pretty happy with his results.

I was also live at the game against Russia where he and Forsling teamed up to take down Russia. I was also at the Swiss-Sweden game and he honestly got cheated out of 2 assists (I checked the site later to see if they changed the score sheet but they did not). He got some points in that game but still kind of a bummer he got robbed of a few points (I was hoping he would get the tournament lead).

 

[LeafGrief]

I don't think it would make sense for Nylander to play at the worlds. He's the Marlies top player, why give away your top player when you're trying to make the playoffs?

The Marlies are so deep and skilled that it might make sense to give a few other guys some chances with those minutes. I don't imagine the Marlies are going to have any difficulty making the playoffs this year.

 

[Mats13]

I have never before said anything about Nylander. Not that there is anything wrong with being in the AHL when your peers are in the NHL. No reason to be upset

Exactly, Erik Karlsson and Alex Pietrangelo will never be as good as Luke Schenn, right?

Jeff Skinner and Alex Burmistrov > Ryan Johansen and Vladimir Tarasenko

Sam Gagner > Jakub Voracek and Logan Couture

Solid logic

 

[Black Noise]

Exactly, Erik Karlsson and Alex Pietrangelo will never be as good as Luke Schenn, right?

Jeff Skinner and Alex Burmistrov > Ryan Johansen and Vladimir Tarasenko

Sam Gagner > Jakub Voracek and Logan Couture

Solid logic

Lol you guys cant take a joke eh?

 

[NikoEhlers]

Why not give William the chance to represent his nation, in Sweden the junior tournament has a strong following too

 

[A1LeafNation]

Lol you guys cant take a joke eh?

That was a joke?

 

[BigWilly]

Exactly, Erik Karlsson and Alex Pietrangelo will never be as good as Luke Schenn, right?

Jeff Skinner and Alex Burmistrov > Ryan Johansen and Vladimir Tarasenko

Sam Gagner > Jakub Voracek and Logan Couture

Solid logic

Exactly, this is one of my biggest pet peeves on HF

Also, I'm pretty sure Nylander would've made 29 different teams in the NHL this year.

 

[Whileee]

Exactly, this is one of my biggest pet peeves on HF

Also, I'm pretty sure Nylander would've made 29 different teams in the NHL this year.

What makes the Leafs so special that it's the only team he couldn't crack?

Last year the main reason we heard for Nylander's quality as a prospect was that he was playing in a high league for his age. This year that criterion seems to have been dropped as other prospects are in the NHL and he's in the AHL.

Nylander's a great prospect but the analysis of how he compares and why is pretty inconsistent.

 

[The Beyonder]

Nylander has been a PPG in the past 30 games(including playoffs) with 31 points.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

What makes the Leafs so special that it's the only team he couldn't crack?

Last year the main reason we heard for Nylander's quality as a prospect was that he was playing in a high league for his age. This year that criterion seems to have been dropped as other prospects are in the NHL and he's in the AHL.

Nylander's a great prospect but the analysis of how he compares and why is pretty inconsistent.

Um...Maybe the leafs don't want to bring him to a team that is not really in a good state and rather give him an environment that works well for him where the media isn't hounding why the leafs aren't winning. Why if he was to play the first line center or third line center he sucks so much and why he is lacklustre even if the team as a whole is struggling not him particularly? He's also switching to the centre from his wing position he was playing in the NA so we are going to give him likely more time to get acclimated to that role as it bears a lot more responsibility.

Johansen, Giroux, Couture, Pavelski, Karlsson and so on has paid their dues there and there is nothing wrong with doing that with a player before they come to the bigs. I rather him be cooked to the point where he doesn't miss a beat and get hounded by the toronto media in the NHL level than bring him up now where the leafs are clearly rebuilding and be hounded on why he isn't making an impact even if the entire team around him is in shatters and he's getting picked off because he's a first rounder.

 

[Mitchy]

Lol you guys cant take a joke eh?

That wasn't a joke and you know it.

 

[Slimmy]

I don't think it would make sense for Nylander to play at the worlds. He's the Marlies top player, why give away your top player when you're trying to make the playoffs?

Nylander wants to play and it's almost on home ice. Helsinki isn't that far away from Sweden and there's going to be thousands of Swedes there cheering him on. Nylander want to finish what he started and win gold, paying the finns back for 2014.

 

[ulvvf]

I think more teams would opt to keep their guy developing down in the AHL. We saw Ottawa decline to let Zibby go after he had previously went.

They let Lazar go despite being on the NHL roster but he had never gone before and he was kind of struggling in the NHL so it was seen as a way to boost up his confidence.



He was actually playing pretty well in that last game against Russia. He had a nice goal, the goaltending for Sweden was god awful.

I think it just comes down to this - do the Leafs want to play him against 16-19 year olds in a tournament he already statistically excelled in, or have him focus on develping in the AHL against tougher competition?

I just think at the end of the day he would destroy a lot of the competition he would be up against in the WJC. Would he learn anything?

If he plays in AHL, he will play in WJHC.

The fact that things like this is even a topic, shows whats is wrong with hockey. Off course players should always play when the national team calls.

 

[Willy Stylez]

I don't think it would make sense for Nylander to play at the worlds. He's the Marlies top player, why give away your top player when you're trying to make the playoffs?

Because as a swede we would love to see Nylander in WJC, he gets to represent his country and have a fun experience. I think if a player is in the AHL as a regular he should be available for the national team in WJC.

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

Nylander wants to play and it's almost on home ice. Helsinki isn't that far away from Sweden and there's going to be thousands of Swedes there cheering him on. Nylander want to finish what he started and win gold, paying the finns back for 2014.

Lol, no there wont be

 

[Whileee]

Um...Maybe the leafs don't want to bring him to a team that is not really in a good state and rather give him an environment that works well for him where the media isn't hounding why the leafs aren't winning. Why if he was to play the first line center or third line center he sucks so much and why he is lacklustre even if the team as a whole is struggling not him particularly? He's also switching to the centre from his wing position he was playing in the NA so we are going to give him likely more time to get acclimated to that role as it bears a lot more responsibility.

Johansen, Giroux, Couture, Pavelski, Karlsson and so on has paid their dues there and there is nothing wrong with doing that with a player before they come to the bigs. I rather him be cooked to the point where he doesn't miss a beat and get hounded by the toronto media in the NHL level than bring him up now where the leafs are clearly rebuilding and be hounded on why he isn't making an impact even if the entire team around him is in shatters and he's getting picked off because he's a first rounder.

You might be right, but saying he would have made the roster of any of the other 29 teams this season seems a bit far-fetched.

Starting him in the AHL is a perfectly rational approach, and I don't think it has a bearing on his quality as a prospect.

 

[SprDaVE]

Nylander is far too important to the Marlies to go to the WJC again, a tournament he's all ready been at. I doubt he's released.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Nylander wants to play and it's almost on home ice. Helsinki isn't that far away from Sweden and there's going to be thousands of Swedes there cheering him on. Nylander want to finish what he started and win gold, paying the finns back for 2014.

It's obvious Nylander would rather play in the Worlds than a few Marlies games(that's all he would miss). Like I said, his team bowed out of the tourney quietly last year without a medal. What kid would not want to? It's a high profile tournament, you get to play in front of thousands of enthusiastic fans, you play for your country, you play for a medal(his last chance). No brainer.

 

[bobbyt 91*]

You might be right, but saying he would have made the roster of any of the other 29 teams this season seems a bit far-fetched.

Starting him in the AHL is a perfectly rational approach, and I don't think it has a bearing on his quality as a prospect.

I am fairly certain he would have made the Jets and Ehlers sent to the Marlies if we swapped the 2. IMO even Larkin would have been sent down as well. They prob would have done the same thing they did with Nylander. They saw how strong he was playing and benched him to avoid the Media circus if they played him and he continued his play and sent him down.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

What makes the Leafs so special that it's the only team he couldn't crack?

Last year the main reason we heard for Nylander's quality as a prospect was that he was playing in a high league for his age. This year that criterion seems to have been dropped as other prospects are in the NHL and he's in the AHL.

Nylander's a great prospect but the analysis of how he compares and why is pretty inconsistent.

Which was an argument rejected by every non-Leaf fan last year, only to be picked by those same people when they can apply it favorably to their players when comparing. Funny how that works, it's almost like a solid majority of people pick and choose when to reject and accept certain arguments, depending on how favorable it is to their opinion/view at a given point in time.

 

[Whileee]

Which was an argument rejected by every non-Leaf fan last year, only to be picked by those same people when they can apply it favorably to their players when comparing. Funny how that works, it's almost like a solid majority of people pick and choose when to reject and accept certain arguments, depending on how favorable it is to their opinion/view at a given point in time.

I think you've nailed the irony perfectly.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

I am fairly certain he would have made the Jets and Ehlers sent to the Marlies if we swapped the 2. IMO even Larkin would have been sent down as well. They prob would have done the same thing they did with Nylander. They saw how strong he was playing and benched him to avoid the Media circus if they played him and he continued his play and sent him down.

I laughed. If this truly is management's mentality then it appears they're just as incompetent as the previous regime.

More likely, Nylander is in the AHL so he can improve his game to the level necessary to be an NHL regular - a likelihood that almost everyone except the Leafs fans accepts.