Line Combos: Nylander as a Center Discussion

[Arzak]

Could this be part of the negotiations?

This. I can see Leafs trying to market him as a potential C.

 

[Fogelhund]

It'd really be 1, 2A, 2B, 4.

Nylander and Tavares would still get 18+ minutes a night hopefully.

Stack the lines in the offensive zone sometimes, and throw out Lafferty - Kampf - Jarnkrok for the odd defensive zone draw too.

People get far too worked up about labels. 2C, 3C, 4C... who cares? All that matters is usage.

Chances are, if Nylander works out, the time on ice 5v5 for Nylander and Tavares would be very similar. For those who need to label things, notbias has it correctly.

 

[Stephen]

Maybe that is his ask before he signs an extension?

10 as a winger
9.5 if he gets to play center

If only Nylandernomics worked like that!

 

[Stephen]

This. I can see Leafs trying to market him as a potential C.

I think if Nylander is a success at C the Leafs rest easy paying him in the high 9’s or more knowing they have a JT replacement.

 

[Trapper]

Fist step in moving Tavares to the wing.

Or future replacement. If they plan to re-sign Nylander, taking over from Tavares long term (who will not make close to 11 million next time) will be the long range plan.

Matthews - Marner
Nylander
3rd line C
Redistribution of the money with JT off the books in 2 years. Then it’s not 2 wingers making big dollars.

 

[Avilaj07]

With Kane hanging around in Mississauga, maybe the Leafs and Kane have a hand shake deal in place and which is why they have Nylander at center.

Bertuzzi-Matthews-Marner
Knies-Tavares-Kane
Domi-Nylander-Jarnkrok
Reaves-Kampf-Lafferty

As the coach, you literally run your top 3 lines over and over again and play your 4th line when you need a energy pick me up lol.

 

[Twowingcantfly]

Willy is a natural center. He would be a very good upgrade playing 2C, skating ability alone. Keep the 11m man on top line. Would be nice to pick up a digger or two with some grit. Until then Gambrell & Robertson will fill in.

JT - Matthews - Marner
Bertuzzi - Nylander - Domi
Knies - Jarnkrok - Lafferty
Reaves - Kampf - Holmberg
Gambrell - Robertson

 

[ACC1224]

With Kane hanging around in Mississauga, maybe the Leafs and Kane have a hand shake deal in place and which is why they have Nylander at center.

Bertuzzi-Matthews-Marner
Knies-Tavares-Kane
Domi-Nylander-Jarnkrok
Reaves-Kampf-Lafferty

As the coach, you literally run your top 3 lines over and over again and play your 4th line when you need a energy pick me up lol.

Why would they need a 'handshake deal'? Just sign him then.

 

[GreatDayforHockey]

Knies Matthews Jarnkrok
Bertuzzi Nylander Marner
Domi Tavares Lafferty
McMann Kampf Reaves

Start the season like this and optimize Nylander's trade value! Knies practiced with Matthews this summer and Jarnkrok has played well with him as well. These lines present a matchup nightmare for opposing coaches! Robertson and Holmberg do not need waivers and could start the season with the Marlies.
Reaves will easily pass through waivers similar to Simmonds last season and be called up strategically when another Forward is injured or when playing tougher teams. So often teams start with the Roster which maximizes LTIR benefits and protect the most assets....injuries inevitably occur and adjust accordingly.

 

[Avilaj07]

Why would they need a 'handshake deal'? Just sign him then.

They're already over the cap by 3 million, kinda hard to sign him now don't you think? Let him get the best treatment and recovery he can while the Leafs figure out their cap and in December when he's possibly ready to go, then you sign him. By then you'd have to assume with either players going on waivers or trades or even injuries, the Leafs would have a much clearer picture regarding their cap during the season.

 

[kb]

I think if Nylander is a success at C the Leafs rest easy paying him in the high 9’s or more knowing they have a JT replacement.

Exactly this. In house JT replacement.

 

[ACC1224]

They're already over the cap by 3 million, kinda hard to sign him now don't you think? Let him get the best treatment and recovery he can while the Leafs figure out their cap and in December when he's possibly ready to go, then you sign him. By then you'd have to assume with either players going on waivers or trades or even injuries, the Leafs would have a much clearer picture regarding their cap during the season.

wouldn't he go on the injured list?

 

[kb]

They're already over the cap by 3 million, kinda hard to sign him now don't you think? Let him get the best treatment and recovery he can while the Leafs figure out their cap and in December when he's possibly ready to go, then you sign him. By then you'd have to assume with either players going on waivers or trades or even injuries, the Leafs would have a much clearer picture regarding their cap during the season.

The further into the season they go, the higher the cap hit. So waiting hurts them more.

The only thing that makes any sense is that there is a deal that moves out significant cap prior to puck drop in Game 1.


Best move is sign and LTIR for now.

 

[Avilaj07]

The further into the season they go, the higher the cap hit. So waiting hurts them more.

The only thing that makes any sense is that there is a deal that moves out significant cap prior to puck drop in Game 1.


Best move is sign and LTIR for now.

You sign him now and put him on the LTIR, you're literally shooting yourself in the foot because now when he comes off the LTIR, you're going to need that cap space to do it and if you need to make a trade, you have zero leverage as teams know you're desperate

 

[ACC1224]

You sign him now and put him on the LTIR, you're literally shooting yourself in the foot because now when he comes off the LTIR, you're going to need that cap space to do it and if you need to make a trade, you have zero leverage as teams know you're desperate

How is that any different than signing him once he's healthy? How much space do you think they'd need?

 

[Avilaj07]

How is that any different than signing him once he's healthy? How much space do you think they'd need?

There's a big difference. You sign him now, you're putting yourself in a corner when it comes to activating him off the LTIR whereas if you wait until December to sign him. You allow yourself 3 months to figure out your salary.

 

[ACC1224]

There's a big difference. You sign him now, you're putting yourself in a corner when it comes to activating him off the LTIR whereas if you wait until December to sign him. You allow yourself 3 months to figure out your salary.

Not seeing the difference, you still have months to figure it out.

 

[Squiffy]

The further into the season they go, the higher the cap hit. So waiting hurts them more.

The only thing that makes any sense is that there is a deal that moves out significant cap prior to puck drop in Game 1.


Best move is sign and LTIR for now.

What am I missing? Wouldn't, hypothetically for easy numbers, a $1,000,000 contract signed at the calendar mid point of the NHL regular season only go as $500,000 on the cap?

 

[Avilaj07]

Not seeing the difference, you still have months to figure it out.

Yes, you still have months to figure it out but if you're the GM of the opposition, you have all the leverage because you know 100% that Toronto has to make a trade to get cap compliant to take Kane off the LTIR. Treliving is forced to make a trade which he would have 0 leverage.

Whereas if you wait to sign him until December, you still have leverage when it comes to trades. Players can get hurt during the season and be placed on LTIR, or players underperformed and you place them on waivers.

Why lose all leverage and sign Kane now when you can keep your leverage and sign him when you're 100% certain he's healthy enough to play again.

 

[ACC1224]

Yes, you still have months to figure it out but if you're the GM of the opposition, you have all the leverage because you know 100% that Toronto has to make a trade to get cap compliant to take Kane off the LTIR. Treliving is forced to make a trade which he would have 0 leverage.

Whereas if you wait to sign him until December, you still have leverage when it comes to trades. Players can get hurt during the season and be placed on LTIR, or players underperformed and you place them on waivers.

Why lose all leverage and sign Kane now when you can keep your leverage and sign him when you're 100% certain he's healthy enough to play again.

It won't be a secret, teams will know where he is going. I don't think leverage is that big a deal. Teams do favours for each other all the time.

I'd rather have him around the team, have the Leafs handle his rehab.

How much cap space do you think they'll need?

 

[IPS]

If Nylander could bring the same game to C as he does to wing that'd be fantastic. I just don't know if he's got that defensive acumen to him though, plus his transition game is so good on wing that I don't know if he could do the same thing at C.

 

[kb]

What am I missing? Wouldn't, hypothetically for easy numbers, a $1,000,000 contract signed at the calendar mid point of the NHL regular season only go as $500,000 on the cap?

Look at Nylanders first year of his current contract on cap friendly, and the hit for that season. I believe it would follow that same logic?

Could be wrong though....

 

[Fogelhund]

Look at Nylanders first year of his current contract on cap friendly, and the hit for that season. I believe it would follow that same logic?

Could be wrong though....

Here is the calculation according to CapFriendly.

How is the cap hit calculated for one year contracts signed after the start of the season?​

If a player is signed to a one year contract after the start of the NHL season, that contract is subject to a unique cap hit calculation.

A notable aspect of the calculation is that the cap hit value is increased.

The cap hit is calculated as follows:
Cap hit = Signing bonus × total season days / season days remaining + base salary

Example:
Brogan Rafferty of the Vancouver Canucks signed a one year ELC on April 2, 2019. The contract has a base salary of $832,500, a signing bonus of $92,500, and there were 4 days remaining in the 186 day season:
Cap hit = $92,500 × 186 / 4 + $832,500
Cap hit: $5,133,750

---------------------------------------------------------------

So it appears as if the signing bonus is the sticking point here. No signing bonus, not much to worry about. The only thing that isn't clear is if there is an proration based on the number of days.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Making Nylander a centre will make him more expensive to keep. Great. Like we weren’t having enough trouble trying to get him to budge from his $10 million ask.

How do you know that he won't "budge from his $10 million ask"?

Wouldn't you rather pay a centre $10M than a winger?

 

[notDatsyuk]

Line 1 - 22 mins/game

Line 2a and 2b - 15 mins each

Line 4 - 8 mins

I see nothing wrong with this.

Cutting your second-best scorer's ice time by 3 1/2 minutes per game sounds perfectly reasonable.