Change is sometimes good. I can think of a million reasons why Willy wouldn't sign and that isn't one of them. 1 million bucks a year more is definitely one though.
LOL. I've challenged you before to provide a source for this and you got nothing. Why do you persist with this fiction?
torontosun.com
"I can see that u are struggeling so i give u AHL players to play with, that will help... " Just put him on the left side of Matthews, tell him to play his best to get to stay. Carrots instead of a wip. This is a wip wrapped in a carrot.Maple Leafs' Keefe calls out slumping Nylander to pick up pace, engagement
Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe has seen enough.
Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe has seen enough.
Or, when it comes to the recent play of William Nylander, not nearly enough.
The talented forward has gone three games without a point, during which his engagement has dropped off. It’s only the second time in 2022-23 that Nylander has produced zeroes on offence in three consecutive games.
Keefe has been down this road before with Nylander, where the player has required a verbal kick in the butt to get back on track. It appeared that Nylander had worked these sorts of lapses out of his game, but apparently, he’s not all the way there yet.
“He and I have talked about this,” Keefe said on Monday before the team departed for New York, where a game against the Islanders on Tuesday is the start to a four-game trip. “I just find when the puck is hitting his stick, his feet aren’t moving to the same degree on attacking. There’s a lot more perimeter, a lot more getting rid of the puck."
“I want him to hang on to it. I want him to challenge. I want him to be on the attack. I want to see lots of pace from him. That’s when he’s at his best. Get back to doing that. It’s been too long since we’ve seen that consistently from him. But as we’ve seen through most of the season, it’s certainly there.”
Nylander remains in second in Leafs scoring with 79 points in 69 games and has set a career-high with 35 goals. One more point will equal his career high. That makes his latest swoon a little more puzzling.
Keefe is keeping Nylander on a line with Sam Lafferty at centre and Bobby McMann on the left, a trio that worked together on Saturday in Ottawa against the Senators in the Leafs’ 5-4 shootout win.
“Playing him more with guys who are going to skate and move their feet, he can be the guy that really drives things,” Keefe said. “That’s really the idea and it’s nothing much beyond that.”
Sheldon does seem to have a Swedish whipping boy from time to time.
Willy does seem like someone who doesn't need anyone to score. Just like Kessel feasted on the third line in Pitt, Willy could do the same on a speed line.
He will not reach 90p anyway and we are going to the playoffs. So no harm in trying stuff to get him going. But keefe should not try new stuff every game. If this third line dont work he better put Nylander on the left or right of Matthews. Marner is the best player for Tavares and since Marners shot is a lot better then before he is a big scoring threat too. Nylanders scoring touch has been way of the last 10 games or so..
Nah, Nylander has pretty much said that he needs a kick in the ass every now and then. IMO he's always had the thickest skin of the 3 youngins and it's not close, criticism has always rolled off him and he's never been one to bitch or complain.
Just once i would like to see how Nylander responded to the carrot treatment, especially this year when he mostly been good. Put him with Matthevs but to be able to stay on that line he need to play his best.
13 games left and Willy will need points in almost all of them.
I think Willie doesn't want to be 'The Man,' in the Danzel Washington's tone, of the team. He does want to be the one with the puck leading odd man rushes and breakaway though. He seems to be at his best if he plays with Dman that could make the stretch pass and forwards that can break out of the zone quick. Having McMann and Lafferty are good experiment.
www.tsn.ca
For a change I can agree with Keefe - he was one of the very few players who looked even decent last night (at least until he got stuck with JT).Coach thought Nylander was good against the Islanders. Didn't think others on the team did.
Also looked like he was trying to tell Tavares something at practice today. Didn't look like Tavares was onboard. Interesting off-season coming up.
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I just don't see the issue . Nylander no matter who he plays with plays the same game . Mathews doesn't make Nylander any better at all , if aything Nylander carried Mathews this year . He's a bit of a unicorn on this team where most of what he gets he creates on his own .
It is a bigger chance for Nylander to score or assist when he is playing with better players, and it would be great if we could get him going again. That is why i want him on the left of Matthews or left of jarnkrok(did we ever try him as c) with Marner. But Nylander and Tavares aint the best together.
Willy needs a boost for sure. The last 20 games, he has slowed down at a 86 pt pace. It actually isn't terrible at all but it is definitely a slow down during a time when the pace should be picking up.
his production will be crucial to the teams success in the playoffs, so it would be best if they put him in a position to help boost his numbers and confidence.
