Line Combos: Nylander as a Center Discussion

[Niagara Bill]

Yes nylander cheating for the offensive... cheating in regular season, thats will work a lot... cheating in playoff, you will hurt your team more than help and in playoff, nylander had 1 only goal in his last 21 playoff game. How much WN really affecting d come playoff?

To go far on playoff, its starting by playing def first and attack second... its how vegas won, how tampa or colorado won, how chicago pittsbutgh won 3...

Yes maybe unstead of finishing with 85-90 points he will finish at 70-75 in regular season but if its can helping exemple as a team to reduce 3,2 GAA by game to 2,6-2,7 in playoff without affecting the team offensivly, it will be a team win all the way for the leafs.

I just dont understand all people wanting to change thing for playoff but doesn't want to change anything of the way leafs playing in regular season...

I never suggested not to change, just recognizing we are losing something. Last playoffs Fla d stood up and never retreated,...it hurt us strategically, be couldn't deal with it.

 

[thusk]

I never suggested not to change, just recognizing we are losing something. Last playoffs Fla d stood up and never retreated,...it hurt us strategically, be couldn't deal with it.

Its only a regular season lost

Against florida, it was not the buggest issue whos hurt leafs the most... florida was pretty fast to backcheck and leafs d was struggling in transition... when rielly was off the ice, leafs had difficilty to move out of his own zone because d struggling to make transition play... Its not keeping foward high who would change that but by adding a klinberg who pretty strong in that part of the game.

 

[Its not your fault]

What the heck is Kane doing seems like an understanding on a deal with someone has to be in place. If it's Toronto Nylander should look good with Kane and Domi on the wings.

 

[ACC1224]

What the heck is Kane doing seems like an understanding on a deal with someone has to be in place. If it's Toronto Nylander should look good with Kane and Domi on the wings.

What does that mean?

 

[OddyOh]

Does anyone else feel like Keefe will try this for about twelve minutes, then put him back on the wing the rest of the year? Only half-joking…

 

[Niagara Bill]

Its only a regular season lost

Against florida, it was not the buggest issue whos hurt leafs the most... florida was pretty fast to backcheck and leafs d was struggling in transition... when rielly was off the ice, leafs had difficilty to move out of his own zone because d struggling to make transition play... Its not keeping foward high who would change that but by adding a klinberg who pretty strong in that part of the game.

Well you and I disagree. You are selling something I cannot buy.
So easy to pinch and stand up when no one breaks out. That worked when you couldn't have 2 line pass, but that is long gone.

 

[thusk]

Well you and I disagree. You are selling something I cannot buy.
So easy to pinch and stand up when no one breaks out. That worked when you couldn't have 2 line pass, but that is long gone.

How nylander created thing last 2 in playoff, by cheating and trying to hide himself behind opposite D to get breakaway or 2v1 or just by skating in open space in neutral/offensive zone by using his speed and puck control?

Over 90% was when he was skating in neutral zone or offensive zone with the puck like his only 5v5 goal, not because hes cheating to beat defender... he will not loose that part of his game playing c...

I dont know why we should focus on 0-10% where nylander provide less than whats he cost by his cheating.

 

[hamzarocks]

If you can get willy to engage down low and put in that extra effort it could definitely work. Having JT on his line, JT could still take the important draws/on his strong side, and should be able to help out a bit more defensively.

Uh JT is an extremely unreliable defensive player

Bad skating of course hurts, but he isnt good with his reads and often can blow coverage not being able to react quick enough to plays.

If Nylander is at C and JT a winger for him we would need a defensive winger who can help them both out as they both arent great defensively.

I think Knies can be a good defensive player and be a guy who fits that line. Would have him stapled there with Jarnkrok (surefire good defensive guy who has some Offense) ready in case knies struggles

 

[Its not your fault]

What does that mean?

At this point it's not cherry picking undoubtedly once the LTIR kicks in he signs somewhere in the next few days after. Is he not practicing out of country right now?

 

[notDatsyuk]

Does anyone else feel like Keefe will try this for about twelve minutes, then put him back on the wing the rest of the year? Only half-joking…

I guess the good thing is that he won't have Dubas pushing him to play Willy with JT to try to hide the stink of that contract.

 

[supermann_98]

Will Nylander give up his #88 when Kane signs with us?

I remember Nylander saying Kane was one of his favorite players growing up so maybe he offers it up. Nylander wearing #62 like he did on the Marlies would look pretty sick with #88 Kane riding shotgun on his line

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Will Nylander give up his #88 when Kane signs with us?

I remember Nylander saying Kane was one of his favorite players growing up so maybe he offers it up. Nylander wearing #62 like he did on the Marlies would look pretty sick with #88 Kane riding shotgun on his line

very longshot this Kane thing happens but if it does, Nylander = 92 please and thanks

 

[authentic]

Hope he sticks as a center. So much two-way potential there.

 

[Martin Skoula]

My biggest concern is WN forces dmen to retreat fast, he often gets behind them, he often gets breakout passes behind them, they fear him, now his butt will be 10 feet in front of his net or behind it.
Are we going to see more of those basketball back passes like we do with Mitchy and AM.

If Barzal can pretend to be a C I don’t see why Nylander can’t. A little bit of a loss in speed for a massive shooting improvement and a bigger body for playing in traffic.

 

[93KILLER93]

Domi Matthews Marner
Bertuzzi Nylander Lafferty
Knies Tavares Jarnkrok

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Does anyone else feel like Keefe will try this for about twelve minutes, then put him back on the wing the rest of the year? Only half-joking…

I for one think...it will be what you say.

People think that he's going to slot in and be really effective.

Tavares' 11 million dollar contract and a 'C' on his jersey was the only thing keeping Nylander back from playing 3C?!

 

[thewave]

3c trial run

 

[ACC1224]

We get our first look tomorrow?

 

[notDatsyuk]

I for one think...it will be what you say.

People think that he's going to slot in and be really effective.

Tavares' 11 million dollar contract and a 'C' on his jersey was the only thing keeping Nylander back from playing 3C?!

Probably more accurate:

Tavares' 11 million dollar contract and a 'C' on his jersey (and Dubas desperate to prove they weren't mistakes) were the only things keeping Nylander back from playing 2C!

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Thought yesterday was mixed bag, thought he struggled BAD through the first half of the game, he couldn't win a faceoff and at one point was at 31%, not that taking faceoffs is what makes you a center It's not but you also can't be a center and suck at faceoffs.

As the game wore on I felt like he got better, he got some chances and did get his faceoffs back up to 50%.

Although admittedly while it was nice to see him get his faceoff back to 50%, the fact that it was only 50% against what was mostly the Sens farm team is a concern what happens when It's NHL rosters?

This game did nothing to change my opinion that Nylander is not a center but it also didn't make me any less confident that he's a center either because he did salvage the game in the 2nd half and to be fair nobody really impressed me.

 

[ZEBROA]

Lets give the man more then one game before deciding . There will be a learning curve to adjust to the new role and new teammates.

 

[Chief Leaf]

For some reason I'm thinking that putting Nylander as 3rd line center allows upper management to see if they would miss Nylanders production on the top two lines thus allowing others to be spotlighted for Willys spot as a winger. It makes the "for sale sign" stick out a little bit on Nylander as I feel they just may be shopping him or ready to shop him.

Yes it could be a try to spread the wealth throughout the line- up but my gut feeling feels that it has more to be around a Nylander trade.

 

[Sypher04]

For some reason I'm thinking that putting Nylander as 3rd line center allows upper management to see if they would miss Nylanders production on the top two lines thus allowing others to be spotlighted for Willys spot as a winger. It makes the "for sale sign" stick out a little bit on Nylander as I feel they just may be shopping him or ready to shop him.

Yes it could be a try to spread the wealth throughout the line- up but my gut feeling feels that it has more to be around a Nylander trade.

Doesn’t really work imo, because let’s say hypothetically Matthews and Tavares lines both produce well without nylander being on them, the comparison would not be apples to apples to assume Nylander could be sold.

How are teams deploying their players against our 3 lines? How many opportunities does having nylander on the 2B line afford the 2A line to get a favourable matchup? Greatly diminishing 2B means 2A has to be a lot better to overcome the increase quality of competition

 

[notDatsyuk]

Thought yesterday was mixed bag, thought he struggled BAD through the first half of the game, he couldn't win a faceoff and at one point was at 31%, not that taking faceoffs is what makes you a center It's not but you also can't be a center and suck at faceoffs.

As the game wore on I felt like he got better, he got some chances and did get his faceoffs back up to 50%.

Although admittedly while it was nice to see him get his faceoff back to 50%, the fact that it was only 50% against what was mostly the Sens farm team is a concern what happens when It's NHL rosters?

This game did nothing to change my opinion that Nylander is not a center but it also didn't make me any less confident that he's a center either because he did salvage the game in the 2nd half and to be fair nobody really impressed me.

He took faceoffs against Giroux, Tkachuk, Kastelic, and Stützle, who were four of the five top faceoff takers for Ottawa last year.

 

[notDatsyuk]

For some reason I'm thinking that putting Nylander as 3rd line center allows upper management to see if they would miss Nylanders production on the top two lines thus allowing others to be spotlighted for Willys spot as a winger. It makes the "for sale sign" stick out a little bit on Nylander as I feel they just may be shopping him or ready to shop him.

Yes it could be a try to spread the wealth throughout the line- up but my gut feeling feels that it has more to be around a Nylander trade.

I'm thinking it's more a matter of putting Nylander at 2nd line centre allows management to see how well he performs without JT slowing him down, and allows them to use JT at 3C (and PP), where he won't be as much of a detriment.