William Nylander appreciation thread

[mapleleaf979]

Curious if this says anything, it kind of stands out as objectively noteworthy.
View attachment 513591

Nylander with 1 hit for every 7 games this season. Its a window into his competitive spirit, u cant hold back when u want that puck badly... like Trevor Moore did in the playoffs when he knocked Chara to the ice. Nylander we have seen many times, slow down skating into the corner to avoid any contact. It disgusts me, his team-mates feel similar im sure.

 

[Shooter2x]

Nylander with 1 hit for every 7 games this season. Its a window into his competitive spirit, u cant hold back when u want that puck badly... like Trevor Moore did in the playoffs when he knocked Chara to the ice. Nylander we have seen many times, slow down skating into the corner to avoid any contact. It disgusts me, his team-mates feel similar im sure.

His hits aren't an issue when he's on his game. The zone entries, the edge work, the shoulder strength to protect the puck is 3rd best on the team, but puck protection itself is second to only Matthews. Tree trunk forearms with the takeaways, tree trunk legs for the skating and being strong on the puck. Top it off with the elite hands. He's one of the guys who gets a free pass if he doesn't hit. The vibration from his stick check can shatter Engvalls hands.

The issue is first half and playoff Nylander has gone mia. The issue is not his hits.

 

[VanW27]

His hits aren't an issue when he's on his game. The zone entries, the edge work, the shoulder strength to protect the puck is 3rd best on the team, but puck protection itself is second to only Matthews. Tree trunk forearms with the takeaways, tree trunk legs for the skating and being strong on the puck. Top it off with the elite hands. He's one of the guys who gets a free pass if he doesn't hit. The vibration from his stick check can shatter Engvalls hands.

The issue is first half and playoff Nylander has gone mia. The issue is not his hits.

Second half Willy is dragging around a 11 million dollar boat anchor.

 

[Shooter2x]

Second half Willy is dragging around a 11 million dollar boat anchor.

I blame JT more than Nylander myself but Nylander has still been annoying. He's not even doing any zone entries he's been dumping and chasing (nobody really chased though) for 2 weeks now.

I wonder if he's hurt and playing through it.

 

[VanW27]

I blame JT more than Nylander myself but Nylander has still been annoying. He's not even doing any zone entries he's been dumping and chasing (nobody really chased though) for 2 weeks now.

I wonder if he's hurt and playing through it.

He's definitely not been as good, there's no doubt about that, but Tavares has been so bad it's hard to even judge how his wingers have played. Add in the fact that even at their best they are not a good fit together stylistically, I'm guessing that's wearing on Nylander.

I want a speed line built around Nylander and a grinding line built around JT to get the best out of both.

 

[Havoc]

I blame JT more than Nylander myself but Nylander has still been annoying. He's not even doing any zone entries he's been dumping and chasing (nobody really chased though) for 2 weeks now.

I wonder if he's hurt and playing through it.

That's because teams acted like Kerfoot wasn't there so played JT and Nylander like it's 5 on 4 at times. No way you can zone entry consistently. It came to the point the plays were starting to go through Kerfoot because of the lack of respect. He's wide open for it. I mean, I'd have to write a whole paragraph to explain in detail, but everyone watched the same line in 2022 as me and can fill in the blanks. Kerfoot should never see the top 6 again unless they want to give Robertson a breather.

They'll be fine with Robertson there now. Teams will have to respect him based on what I've seen so far. I predict JT and Nylander win us back soon.

Nylander looked very bad last night though. Looked like he had a hole in his stick whenever he tried to pass or shoot. Stuff like that is definitely not going to be common though.

Edit: And yes Tavares has been bad too but I'm focusing more on why that line had to dump and chase lately.

 

[Beyonder91]

I still want to see him at center for an extended period. The extra responsibility will be good to keep him engaged I think.

 

[budzz]

Second half Willy is dragging around a 11 million dollar boat anchor.

I would lean more to second half Tavares is dragging around a disinterested Willy. Tavares hasn't been great but at least he hustles his butt off every shift. Bangs behind the net and wins some battles. Watching willy coast around some nights is painful... the classic "give up on a shift and do the sloooow coast to the bench from the o-zone while the rest of the team has to turn and burn" happens too often.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Coast all you want Will Nye.

Need to see you in the post season.

Don't care what you do until then.

Keep the shot sharp please.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

He's definitely not been as good, there's no doubt about that, but Tavares has been so bad it's hard to even judge how his wingers have played. Add in the fact that even at their best they are not a good fit together stylistically, I'm guessing that's wearing on Nylander.

I want a speed line built around Nylander and a grinding line built around JT to get the best out of both.

The difference between JT and Nylander is that JT is just bad at this point. Flubs just about everything and skates in dirt. Nylander is good, but has very little drive. If an opportunity presents itself he'll go all out, but unlike Matthews, Marner, and Bunting who all create their opportunities, Nylander just waits for it. I was hoping this was just a slump, but as more time passes it looks like his playoffs/early season was actually the outlier and this is Nylander. I think scoring all those rush goals in the beginning of the season did more harm than good. In the split season with Babcock/Keefe look how many goals Nylander scored right in front of the net. Now compare it to this season. Great to see his elite shot is working, but now he's forgotten what put him at a ~40 goal pace a couple seasons ago.

 

[DarkKnight]

What about this stat, does it still say something? I mean Muzzin isn’t an accident.

 

[ULF_55]

He does not look like he enjoys playing right now.

 

[Shooter2x]

What about this stat, does it still say something? I mean Muzzin isn’t an accident.View attachment 513728

That is ugly but I'll take a stab.

JT 1 goal in last 16, Kerfoot needs no explanation. What is really there to build the "plus" side of +/-

Add in his center has the worst xGA/60 on the team for current active forwards and Kerfoots is just average 5v5 going up against top 6 of other teams, and the line has all the perfect conditions for a bad +/-. Nylander isn't a defensive juggernaut but he does back check. But it can't offset JT being mediocre.

The raw stat goals aspect of the equation is most of it though.

 

[DarkKnight]

That is ugly but I'll take a stab.

JT 1 goal in last 16, Kerfoot needs no explanation. What is really there to build the "plus" side of +/-

Add in his center has the worst xGA/60 on the team for current active forwards and Kerfoots is just average 5v5 going up against top 6 of other teams, and the line has all the perfect conditions for a bad +/-. Nylander isn't a defensive juggernaut but he does back check. But it can't offset JT being mediocre.

The raw stat goals aspect of the equation is most of it though.

Good context.

 

[mapleleaf979]

It all boils down to one thing for me, Nylander can not be trusted to show up. Id end my loyalty toward him and trade him. Will Nylander get 10 points in the first round or 2? Both are very possible based on him deciding to compete/care about the win. I have only seen Nylander compete hard for 10-15 games straight and that was after Babcock was fired. Then he reverts back to Phil Kessel 2.0. Nylander has this "ill show up when i want, take it or leave it"

 

[Aashir]

It all boils down to one thing for me, Nylander can not be trusted to show up. Id end my loyalty toward him and trade him. Will Nylander get 10 points in the first round or 2? Both are very possible based on him deciding to compete/care about the win. I have only seen Nylander compete hard for 10-15 games straight and that was after Babcock was fired. Then he reverts back to Phil Kessel 2.0. Nylander has this "ill show up when i want, take it or leave it"

Thing is…this is true for each of the big 4

Marner can have 10 or 4
Tavares can have….
Matthews can have 2 or 10

none of them have Shown any type of consistency

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

It all boils down to one thing for me, Nylander can not be trusted to show up. Id end my loyalty toward him and trade him. Will Nylander get 10 points in the first round or 2? Both are very possible based on him deciding to compete/care about the win. I have only seen Nylander compete hard for 10-15 games straight and that was after Babcock was fired. Then he reverts back to Phil Kessel 2.0. Nylander has this "ill show up when i want, take it or leave it"

So you didn't watch the Montreal series where he was easily our best player?

 

[Gary Nylund]

Coast all you want Will Nye.

Need to see you in the post season.

Don't care what you do until then.

Keep the shot sharp please.

This.

Thing is…this is true for each of the big 4

Marner can have 10 or 4
Tavares can have….
Matthews can have 2 or 10

none of them have Shown any type of consistency

Yup. We're stuck with JT but the other 3 all have to play their best this spring. I have no worries about Matthews but Marner and Nylander, if either one of those guys plays poorly in yet another playoff failure then it's time to move on from them.

 

[ACC1224]

He's been putting up some solid PGA stats lately. A solid -3 last night puts him in the clubhouse lead.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

solid -3

albatross

 

[Griffin76]

Holy crap this place is toxic. The guy has 52 points in 57 games. He's doing exactly what he's paid to do.

 

[DarkKnight]

Holy crap this place is toxic. The guy has 52 points in 57 games. He's doing exactly what he's paid to do.

Really, it’s “toxic” to simply point out his lacklustre play of late? If I notice him waiting for someone else to dig out a puck so he can skate up ice, that’s an observation and a commentary on perceived winning hockey, not toxicity. Also, he was grinding hard last year and early this year, so an astute observer can notice the discrepancy now. Bill deserves scrutiny, that’s entirely fair.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Really, it’s “toxic” to simply point out his lacklustre play of late? If I notice him waiting for someone else to dig out a puck so he can skate up ice, that’s an observation and a commentary on perceived winning hockey, not toxicity. Also, he was grinding hard last year and early this year, so an astute observer can notice the discrepancy now. Bill deserves scrutiny, that’s entirely fair.

Nope. Apparently it's only toxic to point out the teams playoff failures, the players themselves are fair game.

 

[ACC1224]

Holy crap this place is toxic. The guy has 52 points in 57 games. He's doing exactly what he's paid to do.

You don't feel his play has been lacking a bit ? He's been the same consistent player all season?
Pointing out the current state of play isn't being toxic, it's just being objective.

Really, it’s “toxic” to simply point out his lacklustre play of late? If I notice him waiting for someone else to dig out a puck so he can skate up ice, that’s an observation and a commentary on perceived winning hockey, not toxicity. Also, he was grinding hard last year and early this year, so an astute observer can notice the discrepancy now. Bill deserves scrutiny, that’s entirely fair.

 

[DraftSchmaft]

Minute left on the clock, Leafs down 3-2 in game 4 against Jackets, Nylander goes on an elite end to end rush to facilitate the tying goal. To pull off that edge work spin off way deep in our own zone followed by the end to end zone entry under those conditions in the playoffs takes massive killer instinct and ice in your veins. We lack this so can't trade it away.

Follows it up with being our best offensive forward against the Habs.

Nylander is not on my worry list for the playoffs. He's going to bring it.