Player Discussion William Nylander

[Menzinger]

He should have an A next season. He sounds among the most mature of the guys when talking to the media

 

[647Hockey]

Amazing how years back he held out for more money and most people thought he was an overpaid baby. Turns out of the core 5 (incl Rielly), he's actually the most consistent performer out of all of them.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Amazing how years back he held out for more money and most people thought he was an overpaid baby. Turns out of the core 5 (incl Rielly), he's actually the most consistent performer.

It has been quite the turnaround. Time has shown he’s got the combo of breakaway speed, zone entry and shot that no one else on the team possess.

 

[saffronleaf]

glad that we've finally resolved the old marner vs nylander debate

 

[Jojalu]

Even if they both missed him, and for sure Marner did initially - this is game 7 OT - you don't disconnect the controller like that.. what if there was a rebound or scramble after the initial play?

You gotta move your legs and get in the play.

C'mon.

If Willy chases him down, and the puck gets freed tovthe point, then it's job too?

A) Samsonov has to come out and play that. The whole play is in front of him.

B) The D. has to close that off.

C) Pasta skated right by Marner. He was watching Lindholm shoot it in which should be a nothing play.

D) Nylander is the last guy responsible for Pasta.

Srupid discussion

 

[saffronleaf]

C'mon.

If Willy chases him down, and the puck gets freed tovthe point, then it's job too?

A) Samsonov has to come out and play that. The whole play is in front of him.

B) The D. has to close that off.

C) Pasta skated right by Marner. He was watching Lindholm shoot it in which should be a nothing play.

D) Nylander is the last guy responsible for Pasta.

Srupid discussion

marnerites getting desperate now, grasping at straws

 

[BraveCanadian]

C'mon.

If Willy chases him down, and the puck gets freed tovthe point, then it's job too?

A) Samsonov has to come out and play that. The whole play is in front of him.

B) The D. has to close that off.

C) Pasta skated right by Marner. He was watching Lindholm shoot it in which should be a nothing play.

D) Nylander is the last guy responsible for Pasta.

Srupid discussion

Late to the party replying on this one and you're welcome to share in the group think around here that Nylander is some kind of playoff performer.. but that body language says a LOT considering the situation.

It has nothing to do with the blame on that play - where there is plenty to go around as you said (mostly Rielly tbh) - again I know it goes against the scapegoat groupthink here now where everything in the world is Marner's fault.

Stupid straw man.

 

[Jojalu]

Late to the party replying on this one and you're welcome to share in the group think around here that Nylander is some kind of playoff performer.. but that body language says a LOT considering the situation.

It has nothing to do with the blame on that play - where there is plenty to go around as you said (mostly Rielly tbh) - again I know it goes against the scapegoat groupthink here now where everything in the world is Marner's fault.

Stupid straw man.

Nylander is definately a frustrating player.

On one hand he finds a way to score in big moments. On the other, he just seems to not care to come back and play in his own end sometimes.

Like I said, I don't really think it was Marner's fault. He was clearly looking at Lindholm and once Pasta picked up speed he was never going to catch him.

Just a well executed play by Bos thst probably works only half thectime

 

[Trapper]

Nylander is definately a frustrating player.

On one hand he finds a way to score in big moments. On the other, he just seems to not care to come back and play in his own end sometimes.

Like I said, I don't really think it was Marner's fault. He was clearly looking at Lindholm and once Pasta picked up speed he was never going to catch him.

Just a well executed play by Bos thst probably works only half thectime

It wasn’t Keefe’s fault either but after 5 years change was needed. After 8 years, the core change is needed.
There is way too much it’s his fault, no, it’s his fault etc. Something always goes wrong with this core as a group.

Like Ferraro said, if there are 8 out of 10 ways to win, the Leafs will find the 2 that lose.
That’s why big change is needed. It’s permeated in the core and team.

 

[DraftSchmaft]

Nylander is definately a frustrating player.

On one hand he finds a way to score in big moments. On the other, he just seems to not care to come back and play in his own end sometimes.

Like I said, I don't really think it was Marner's fault. He was clearly looking at Lindholm and once Pasta picked up speed he was never going to catch him.

Just a well executed play by Bos thst probably works only half thectime

Every big point producer does this though. Watch how many times even McDavid half asses a back check. Kucherov makes so many defensive blunders.

2 forwards who consistently back check in the playoffs are Matthews and Marner. Matthews a bit more pronounced because he actually tracks the player down and ices them out along the boards. But Marner is real good in his own right so I'm not too angry about the OT goal. Nobody is 100% perfect.

Nylander isn't a big time 2-way forward but we're actually a better team overall when he's allowed to be biased towards offense. People are going to remain disappointed if theyre holding out for the defensive break through. Its never coming, however the overall game impact from Nylander is huge because of how he dictates the entire ice with his skating and stick handling. I like to focus on "game impact" instead of breaking it down into offense versus defence. It's good enough to keep us top 6 in the East even if we lose one of the 3 amigos (theoretically speaking)

 

[studebaker17]

Matthews is of course better overall, But we want Matthews to score, contribute at almost same rate as in the regular season. We absolutly dont expect it. But we expect Nylander to.

In this core at this stage i belive Nylander would be a better C then Tavares, and it would maby humble Matthews to not get the C.

That said i dont think Nylander want the C or should have it. I hope they bring in someone new, that will change the culture at the core.


Accept no whining about things u cant change, and no whining about things u can change, just change them. Still talk about things that is realy shitty, just to vetilate, private, on ice, off ice stuff, as in a healthy family. It strenghtens the group. But be proffesional as hell before and after games. Should be common sense.

Matthews aint C material, yet. Could be in the future

They really need someone come into that dressing room and take over the music with authority.

 

[thewave]

It wasn’t Keefe’s fault either but after 5 years change was needed. After 8 years, the core change is needed.
There is way too much it’s his fault, no, it’s his fault etc. Something always goes wrong with this core as a group.

Like Ferraro said, if there are 8 out of 10 ways to win, the Leafs will find the 2 that lose.
That’s why big change is needed. It’s permeated in the core and team.

The Ferraro quote is spot on. 100% accurate. That's what shit management does to a team. They just focus on hiring their brother in law or cousins and bloating the organization. Have a million voices in a room so nobody can formulate a direction.

 

[647Hockey]

It wasn’t Keefe’s fault either but after 5 years change was needed. After 8 years, the core change is needed.
There is way too much it’s his fault, no, it’s his fault etc. Something always goes wrong with this core as a group.

Like Ferraro said, if there are 8 out of 10 ways to win, the Leafs will find the 2 that lose.
That’s why big change is needed. It’s permeated in the core and team.

As many leafs radio guys said the past week, change should had been made after either the Columbus series or definitely after the loss to Habs. But the thinking was give them another chance, and it's covid years. So ignore those weird years as not normal course of business.

Yet they kept the same core strategy with a revolving door of signings refill gaps over and over again though it's the core thats the problem in both performance and salary hogging.

2024 season just ended for leafs and the biggest change they've made is firing Keefe a few days ago. Thats it.

How Shanahan still has a job after all this who the hell knows. They probably kept him because it would look even worse if they cleaned house including Shanny. So scrub the team clean bit by bit than doing a mass overhaul at once.

 

[Jojalu]

It wasn’t Keefe’s fault either but after 5 years change was needed. After 8 years, the core change is needed.
There is way too much it’s his fault, no, it’s his fault etc. Something always goes wrong with this core as a group.

Like Ferraro said, if there are 8 out of 10 ways to win, the Leafs will find the 2 that lose.
That’s why big change is needed. It’s permeated in the core and team.

Ferraro was dead on that day.

They simply find ways to lose.

 

[socko]

glad that we've finally resolved the old marner vs nylander debate

If you're going to give one of those guys an $11.5 contract, they picked the right one without question.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

If you're going to give one of those guys an $11.5 contract, they picked the right one without question.

Neither should get that much regardless of whether or not they took on the contract year hero role.

 

[sunstersun]

He's had 4 straight really good playoff performances starting with the Habs series. Tavares really can't finish anything anymore.

 

[arso40]

He's had 4 straight really good playoff performances starting with the Habs series. Tavares really can't finish anything anymore.

That excuse is only for the marnernites

 

[Gabriel426]

marnerites getting desperate now, grasping at straws

I blame Keefe for sending MM on the ice for that goal. Also JT for not learning his lessons

 

[Dayjobdave]

They really need someone come into that dressing room and take over the music with authority.

…and we could use a RD with a big shot who can lay the body….

 

[Kazparov]

Do we think Berube pushes WN to center?

He does have the skill set and with the right focus , determination and most importantly accountability he could really excel.

Thoughts?

 

[thewave]

If you're going to give one of those guys an $11.5 contract, they picked the right one without question.

Nylander is a 9.5m player. He is getting paid what he is imho because he was underpaid by a 1m or so as time went on and MM was never worth almost 2x WN

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Do we think Berube pushes WN to center?

He does have the skill set and with the right focus , determination and most importantly accountability he could really excel.

Thoughts?

I think his points will drop and his defensive deficiencies will be exposed even more.

So maybe 30g, 40a, -24 while earning $11.5M to be a 2C. Sounds like something the Leafs would do. Mainly because they've already done exactly that with Tavares.

Maybe Willie gets the "C" next too.

 

[Kazparov]

I think his points will drop and his defensive deficiencies will be exposed even more.

So maybe 30g, 40a, -24 while earning $11.5M to be a 2C. Sounds like something the Leafs would do. Mainly because they've already done exactly that with Tavares.

Maybe Willie gets the "C" next too.

I think his defensive deficiencies are more attitude than actual skills. He's strong on his skates, strips puck well, good passer and we he wants he can use his strength & skating to win puck battles.

And I could see all of them having lower points in the reg season if they are tasked to play a tighter game.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

I think his defensive deficiencies are more attitude than actual skills. He's strong on his skates, strips puck well, good passer and we he wants he can use his strength & skating to win puck battles.

And I could see all of them having lower points in the reg season if they are tasked to play a tighter game.

I think I've seen the "Nylander at centre" experiment enough times by now to make me believe it would never work as a viable long term solution.

We paid this guy $11.5M to be a 90-100 point winger. There isn't another 2C in the league making $11M. If the Leafs put Nylander and Matthews on the same line, and trade Marner while eventually replacing Tavares, they will rebalance the forward lines with a traditional setup and can use the rest to put towards defense and goaltending.

Whether that happens this year or next year is up to Marner and Tavares but it will happen eventually is my guess.