Should we strongly consider Trading W. Nylander while his value is high?

[HofT]

Well maybe they will follow him over to the next team he plays on this offseason. When you can see the coach can't stand his play and former players who are hockey analysts imply that he is a problem then the writing is on the wall.

Just like Phil Kessel

 

[Buds17]

Don't understand the hate boner for Nylander over here. This place always turns into a psych ward after the first round

Another first round exit and a fair amount of cap tied up in four forwards (and five players). Nylander is arguably the most expendable/easiest to move of the four. I'd hope it isn't anything more than that.

 

[Cynical]

I like Nylander, but he can't seem to get rid of his fear of getting. The amount of times he refused to go after the puck when he knew there was a chance to get hit was embarrassing to watch. He blatantly gave the Bolts the puck on numerous points of games simply because he didn't want to get to the puck first and get hit. He also has zero chemistry with Tavares and they're stuck with him. There's no choice at this point, Nylander has to go.

 

[Anthrax442]

1. Depends on the return.
2. Who do you replace his 80 pts with,
3.

 

[Morbo]

Nylander is a top line forward with 2 years of control at a good price.

if you move him, you better win the deal.

 

[TakeTheBody]

Marner's value is higher. If someone has to go I vote Mitch. I wish it could be pajama boy.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Yes

 

[Gabriel426]

Would only be okay trading Willie for assets if the cap is use for signing Kadri.

 

[Le Cobra]

I am of the opinion Nylander played well this playoffs. The problem isnt him its the coaching staff's inability to light a fire under this teams arse. they need to play with a greater sense of urgency and hunger. They are bipolar. Game 1 they are hungry next game they look like the Marlies, we need consistency

 

[cookie]

Aside from Kase, there weren't any significant injuries on our side coming into and throughout the playoffs - rarely is a roster this healthy and probably one of the best Leafs lineups we're going to see during the big-4 era.

With this said, I still find it weird how there isn't a bigger magnifying glass on Keefe's decisions. I know I'm focusing on depth defensemen with this but the failure to ice the best lineup and opting to go with safer options did more harm than good. I'm making value judgements here but I'd argue that both Sandin and Liljegren were poised to make their marks... instead we saw guys like Holl and Lybushkin try and fail to move the puck and make a play when we were trying our best to score. Giordano saw time on the PP, Sandin's strong suit. Gio's also developed great chemistry with Liljegren which would have better balanced the pairings and cemented them as viable offensive threats.

With that said, games, and ultimately series, are decided by special teams. One team got 5v3s and made the most of them, the other team couldn't capitalize on their better 5v5 play to offset those ill-timed penalties. That trip on Nylander in the final game should have been called and identical interference incidents were called in two significantly different ways.

I am of the opinion Nylander played well this playoffs. The problem isnt him its the coaching staff's inability to light a fire under this teams arse. they need to play with a greater sense of urgency and hunger. They are bipolar. Game 1 they are hungry next game they look like the Marlies, we need consistency

They played like trash at the start of games 6 and 7. Campbell was out-duelling Vasilevskiy in large portions of the series, imo

 

[Gabriel426]

Aside from Kase, there weren't any significant injuries on our side coming into and throughout the playoffs - rarely is a roster this healthy and probably one of the best Leafs lineups we're going to see during the big-4 era.

With this said, I still find it weird how there isn't a bigger magnifying glass on Keefe's decisions. I know I'm focusing on depth defensemen with this but the failure to ice the best lineup and opting to go with safer options did more harm than good. I'm making value judgements here but I'd argue that both Sandin and Liljegren were poised to make their marks... instead we saw guys like Holl and Lybushkin try and fail to move the puck and make a play when we were trying our best to score. Giordano saw time on the PP, Sandin's strong suit. Gio's also developed great chemistry with Liljegren which would have better balanced the pairings and cemented them as viable offensive threats.

With that said, games, and ultimately series, are decided by special teams. One team got 5v3s and made the most of them, the other team couldn't capitalize on their better 5v5 play to offset those ill-timed penalties. That trip on Nylander in the final game should have been called and identical interference incidents were called in two significantly different ways.


They played like trash at the start of games 6 and 7. Campbell was out-duelling Vasilevskiy in large portions of the series, imo

Looking at TB PP and ours PP. Having Hedman with his shot helps but I think the main difference is that they are not trying to set up just Stamkos or just Kuch for the shot like Caps with Ovie. Rather whoever is open will take the shot without any hesitations. Then you look at the boys, it seems like they are always trying to set up AM for the shot. I don't know why Keefe continues to do that when Willie probably have the best one timer on the team and he is a right shot. In a way, the Leafs can set up their PP like TB but they really want AM to be the sole shooter.

They played like trash at the start of games 6 and 7. Campbell was out-duelling Vasilevskiy in large portions of the series, imo

More like the start of Game 5 and 6. The boys played well at the start of Game 7.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Looking at TB PP and ours PP. Having Hedman with his shot helps but I think the main difference is that they are not trying to set up just Stamkos or just Kuch for the shot like Caps with Ovie. Rather whoever is open will take the shot without any hesitations. Then you look at the boys, it seems like they are always trying to set up AM for the shot. I don't know why Keefe continues to do that when Willie probably have the best one timer on the team and he is a right shot. In a way, the Leafs can set up their PP like TB but they really want AM to be the sole shooter.

Exactly what I said in the other thread. Hedman didn't kill us with a deadly shot. He actually scored on a soft wrister that found a spot, and he didn't have a ton of space either. It almost looked like a desperation shot TBH.

We are predictable at times, but I don't think that means you have to change the personnel or even the system. I feel like they just need to change how they use the system. If we think of it like basketball or football, you don't run the same play every time. You can have many different looks without radically changing the setup or who you are using.... And it is not even like the Leafs haven't done that before.

Same with things at ES. Tavares was shut down when he just tried to go in tight in front of the net and grind it out. When he found space, he was deadly. Simple fix, and it was very effective. This is a team that should be creative enough to be able to adapt to these things, and it really shouldn't be on the coaching either. The players have to start thinking and adapting themselves.

The good news is that it is not a hard fix, but these guys have to be mentally there to make the changes, and the coaching has to point that stuff out. Who knows when that will happen, but learning time is over. You should know what it takes at this point. **** happens, but this is not a learning experience anymore. You know what works. You know what doesn't. And you should know what to do when things are not doing.

 

[SoftDumpNtheCorner88]

Hockey comes down to outscoring the other team and the only forward who was better than Nylander in that regard in the playoffs was Matthews. You don't think he's a "playoffs type player" but if that's true, how do you explain him being our 2nd best forward in the playoffs?

Why do you think we dont have success in the play offs? Do you think scoring is the issue?

He wasn't our 2nd best player in these play offs. If you think that, then you weren't watching. I'd argue that Nick Paul/Colton was more effective against us, than Nylander was for us. Again putting up points isn't the problem, it's putting up a fight and being consistent with it through a series.

 

[Nylanderthal]

You don’t trade him because he’s bad, but because you can better utilize the asset and the cap space. Watching Tampa, it’s pretty clear our blueline isn’t going to cut it. We need someone to match McDonagh or Cernak. Nylander has the value to return tat kind of player.

Which of the goals Tampa scored in games 6 or specifically 7 would you attribute to the defence not being good enough? The two last night were nothing plays that the goalie turned into advetntures because he’s just not good enough to carry a team when they need him to.

 

[tmlms13]

Yes, he's a very good player on an excellent contract, but he has to go. I love his effort offensively. He works hard for the puck, he goes to the net with reckless abandon, but the team needs a power forward that can play the dump and chase style with Tavares. I'm not a Nylander hater, he's a very good player who is over-criticized by this fanbase, but his style is not conducive to winning given what's on the rest of the team. Trade him now, for a bigger, simpler player that fits with Tavares.

You sound like all the people who were yelling how could you pass on Nick Richie and take William Nylander in 2014.

Different isn't always better

 

[Clark4Ever]

Upgrade the goalie and try again

This is my inclination as well.

 

[SoftDumpNtheCorner88]

Yes. He is basically Phil Kessel reincarnated. He's soft and lazy and you can only have so many of those types of players.

The reason I wouldn't move Marner is because he's a 100 point player. They can't find anyone, anywhere to replicate that. Tavares doesn't score a 100 points and makes more money. So, find a taker, even just for cap space. With those two gone, you can retool the team.

He's Phill Kessel without the playoff Phil Kessel spirit. Kessel plays soft in the regular season because he cares too much about his iron man streak... But in the PO he gets in the corners.. he's got Conn Smythe to prove it. Nylander is a good player, and will produce but won't take a hit to make a play (aside from his net drive which surprised me). We need more JT Miller types.

 

[JSn0w93]

Marner's value is higher. If someone has to go I vote Mitch. I wish it could be pajama boy.

Yes let's trade one of the 10 best players in the world who is only 25 and is a major part of our PP and PK. Give your head a shake.

 

[Lightsol]

Looking at TB PP and ours PP. Having Hedman with his shot helps but I think the main difference is that they are not trying to set up just Stamkos or just Kuch for the shot like Caps with Ovie. Rather whoever is open will take the shot without any hesitations. Then you look at the boys, it seems like they are always trying to set up AM for the shot. I don't know why Keefe continues to do that when Willie probably have the best one timer on the team and he is a right shot. In a way, the Leafs can set up their PP like TB but they really want AM to be the sole shooter.



More like the start of Game 5 and 6. The boys played well at the start of Game 7.

The problem with the PP this year was that you have four guys willing to take a shot if it's there, and one guy who will only take a shot if there is absolutely no other option available, whether or not shooting is the smarter option. They scored on the PP in Game 5 by shifting Gio onto PP1, and that worked for a REASON; because Gio will shoot if he's got an opportunity, which threw a wrench into Tampa's PK game.

I pointed out in Game THREE that Tampa was covering the Leaf PP by isolating Morgan Reilly, taking his outlet passes away and planting one guy between him and the net to block his writers. I said at that time that the Leafs should put Gio there for a while and tell him if Tampa tries that, he should unload one of his full power shots.

Which of the goals Tampa scored in games 6 or specifically 7 would you attribute to the defence not being good enough? The two last night were nothing plays that the goalie turned into advetntures because he’s just not good enough to carry a team when they need him to.

Yeah, I've I'm trading Nylander, one of the pieces coming back better be a good to great goalie. Otherwise, what's the point?

 

[SoftDumpNtheCorner88]

The reason why some here wants to trade Willie is bc they think that’s the contract that is available for trade. And Leafs need Cap room.
The problem is not Willie’s style of play or his productions or his work ethic. The problem is having three 11mil forwards.
Having said that, I think anyone is on the table and it’s all depending on the return package.

This.

I don't see us trading Matthews and marner , and there are no takers for JT... So it comes down to Nylander and he'd be expecting a raise.... So what I'm saying is he is more valuable in a trade than Marner might be... Nylander has a tradable contract... So what's the value of 2 years of prime Nylander at a decent cap it??

Are we going to keep Nylander as our own rental? How has that worked out for us? How has any of our own rentals worked out for us? We need to try something new and let Nylander shine elsewhere and cash in... But only if a team is willing to over pay, and 2 years of a prime PPG player SHOULD net us a huge return. If the return isnt HUGE, we keep him and hope he tries to be more of a playoff type player.

 

[Duffman955]

No we should keep him because he has been consistently a force in the playoffs.

 

[ORRFForever]

What could we get for him?

 

[disgruntleddave]

It depends on what's coming back and what the salary situation is in general.

Who will be available to fill out the lineup?

If we can find a couple good middle 6 players and make a move on D that shoots the puck, you consider it.

 

[Mr_Fun]

Watching this series, at worst the teams were evenly matched. But I firmly believe we were the far better team, especially 5 on 5. I stand by this statement even after the loss. We were significantly better 5 on 5, and I can't emphasize significantly enough.

We lost cause of a couple "bounces" People are acting like this was some no contest blow out loss. Our team is right there with the Bolts.

We're right there with them (Tampa). To me, that's what makes this so tough. If we had drawn the Bruins and lost again, I'd be like F these guys, let's make some major changes. But I honestly think we're close enough that this group needs another look. That's not to say if there's a move out there that could help, not to make it, but I think this core can actually hockey.

 

[Craigo85]

7million in cap should get somebody that puts up 80-90% of Willys points and hopefully is a better partner for Tavares. I'd like Tavares to be gone too but am realistic about the NMC.