William Nylander appreciation thread

[Havoc]

So for game 5 if I don't see people calling out players for being soft for going for their change before the blue line instead of skating a bit more into the zone before peeling off, you're all a bunch of hypocrites.

Get your best roasts and disses ready because changing before the blue line happens like every 1 second.

New year same shit don't worry about it. They need someone to take their anger out on.

I like how nobody is focusing on that punch to Kucherovs face instead, then following it up with 2 goals. That second clapper had anger behind it like "maybe if my line mates could keep up with me and get me the puck back I'd get to let bombs off like this regularly and rake goals"

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

Nylander isnt a player you win with. What was that p***y ass corner play? No balls and no heart

 

[ULF_55]

Rielly letting the Lightning score the empty net goal rather than taking the intentional off-side?

That's on Nylander?

 

[Menzinger]

Well, last night there was a huge no-show by ... did anyone show up?

I'm sure some had good stats in a non-productive manner, you know the stats losers cling to.

It's funny. Nylander had a lousy game, but he also wasn't the only one in the core to have one that night. He also wasn't the reason the team lost either (the game was over after that 3rd goal) but 5 seconds at the end of an over minute long shift is what we'll end up obsessing over.

 

[AuraSphere]

Nylander just didn't look like he was playing at 100% last night to be honest - he seemed sluggish as if he had COVID or something

 

[Backcheckmonster3]

Wille wouldn´t break a nail for the Cup.
With this core Toronto is so doomed.

 

[NMacrules]

What a cowardly play! I'm disgusted. This is playoff hockey. Suck it up buttercup.

This is far from the first time he shy's away from corners. He's done it several times.

 

[John Mandalorian]

Outside observer (Avs fan coming in peace): The Leafs need to split up Tavares and Nylander. Otherwise, Nylander is being wasted. Tavares looks entirely too slow - not just skating speed but he looks overwhelmed entirely. If that 2nd line is going to be productive, it's more likely to come from Nylander.

 

[Skullz]

Is there anyone left that doesn’t want this guy moved? Should have been dumped when he sat out.

Best contract on the team. I keep Willy unless blown away by an offer. I don't make a kneejerk decision and sell him for pennies on the dollar. If he had a line more to his skill set this year he'd likely have had 90 some points. You can't just find that production. Also still getting better every year. Didn't like his forecheck, I agree, but 5-0 game and end of his shift...

 

[ITM]

Nylander ISNT and NEVER has been THE problem with this club. It's breathtaking the want for some for that to be the case. We need to be surgical in our focus. If we aren't, we feed the monster and we scapegoat and the only winner in that game is our much beloved, ever loyal media monolith.

Intestinal fortitude in the midst of the panic is required here.

Coach inspired:

 

[BrannigansLaw]

This will become the William Nylander Farewell thread if they lose this series.

 

[ACC1224]

Best contract on the team. I keep Willy unless blown away by an offer. I don't make a kneejerk decision and sell him for pennies on the dollar. If he had a line more to his skill set this year he'd likely have had 90 some points. You can't just find that production. Also still getting better every year. Didn't like his forecheck, I agree, but 5-0 game and end of his shift...

Been playing the same way for years
. A 5-0 game is the perfect time to run a guy through the boards. He flybys whether they are winning, losing or tied.

Yes he puts up some points but hardly the best contract on the team when you consider his overall game.

 

[ER89]

Been playing the same way for years
. A 5-0 game is the perfect time to run a guy through the boards. He flybys whether they are winning, losing or tied.

Yes he puts up some points but hardly the best contract on the team when you consider his overall game.

a 5-0 game is the stupidest time to get injured. Best case you hurt cernak and nothing happens. Worst game you hurt yourself and you lose any secondary scoring this team can hope for considering you have an 11m albatross on the second line. Cernak vs nylander is a swap tampa makes allllllll day.

The bolded makes absolutely no sense.

 

[Woodman19]

Last night should have been the last game Nylander wears a Leafs uniform. I would rather lose with a 4th line player trying his heart out and coming up short than watching him shy away from a hit like that when he likely would have won a battle to the puck.

You will never win anything with coward like that as one of your top players and one of the most unforgivable sins of a professional athlete is giving up on your team. If he is allowed to play its going to send a message to all the players who are trying that they have nothing to gain by putting in the extra effort when a soft coward is getting the same or more opportunity to play as them.

Ever work in a place where management lets a handful of lazy people get away with it? eventually it pollutes the hard workers who resent it and eventually they give up too leading to a demoralized culture.

 

[ACC1224]

a 5-0 game is the stupidest time to get injured. Best case you hurt cernak and nothing happens. Worst game you hurt yourself and you lose any secondary scoring this team can hope for considering you have an 11m albatross on the second line. Cernak vs nylander is a swap tampa makes allllllll day.

The bolded makes absolutely no sense.

I suppose he could hurt himself there. We’ve never seen him finish a check to know if he could survive it.

 

[DavePoulin4PM]

You will never win with players like Nylander. He makes gutless plays routinely. Cant imagine having this coward as a teammate.

You think plays like this fly with coaches like Torts, Jon Cooper, Craig Berube, Sutter behind bench? Not a chance. If Nylander isn’t in the press box next game Keefe should be fired.

 

[notDatsyuk]

It's funny. Nylander had a lousy game, but he also wasn't the only one in the core to have one that night. He also wasn't the reason the team lost either (the game was over after that 3rd goal) but 5 seconds at the end of an over minute long shift is what we'll end up obsessing over.

He was one of only three Leafs - along with Kampf and Engvall - who wasn't on the ice for at least one of the three goals in the first eight minutes, which basically decided the game. He and Kampf were the only Leafs not on for any goals except the empty nets.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Willy has all da tools but he is lacking in heart to do da hard things to win in playoffs when you may get hurt .. but in his defense I don't think any skilled winger can do much when playing with a boat anchor as a C .. basically he is on a line where he is playing short handed virtually every single shift and a guy like Willy is not suited to do what he is being asked to do .. i guess he could play C role in game on his own and try to play by himself .. maybe JT would get da hint and slide over to wall without a hissy fit .. but until da 100 pound gorrilla problem is resolved only other option is to move him back to line 3

 

[Koolboss]

I would take a suspended Kadri over Nylander right about now lol

 

[keonsbitterness]

Been playing the same way for years
. A 5-0 game is the perfect time to run a guy through the boards. He flybys whether they are winning, losing or tied.

Yes he puts up some points but hardly the best contract on the team when you consider his overall game.

Nylander has not and will never put guys though the boards. Why would anyone expect it now?

He puts up more than some points, which is why most if not every team in the league would live with his lack of physicality.

You will never win with players like Nylander. He makes gutless plays routinely. Cant imagine having this coward as a teammate.

You think plays like this fly with coaches like Torts, Jon Cooper, Craig Berube, Sutter behind bench? Not a chance. If Nylander isn’t in the press box next game Keefe should be fired.

Take your Islander/Oiler/Hab/whatever fandom and not knowing the definition of a two-way contract and GTFO.

 

[stocker]

Nylander would never play another game with Toronto if I was the coach

 

[ACC1224]

Nylander has not and will never put guys though the boards. Why would anyone expect it now?

He puts up more than some points, which is why most if not every team in the league would live with his lack of physicality.

Take your Islander/Oiler/Hab/whatever fandom and not knowing the definition of a two-way contract and GTFO.

It's should be expected, that's the problem.
Sure there would be teams that would love him, hopefully there's a long line.

 

[ULF_55]

Keep the focus off marner, Matthews and Tavares.

Showed up 1 game this and about the same last year.

 

[Aashir]

common sense really isn’t common huh…

Nylander benched? For a soft play? If Robertson was like 2x as good as he is rn then maybe you could bench nylander for him, but no way in hell does Clifford or Simmonds play over nylander

You can’t bench this guy because for how lousy he has been, he can always have that one game where he snaps and puts up 2-3 points.

This is a scenario where you take the mystery box over the “sure thing”

 

[saffronleaf]

useless piece of shit this year. 2 pointless goals. they should be removed from the stat sheet lest he sees it and gets satisfied with his play.