William Nylander

[herman]

I don't normally do this, and I know that I am asking alot, but if you are up there Superman, please don't let the Leafs trade Matthews, Marner, or Nylander.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2017/05/12/leafs-progress-earns-presidential-seal-of-approval-dimanno.html

Because this is Toronto, where hockey anxiety stirs just below the surface and speculation is endless, there were junctures where oh-oh moments seized the city and rumours abounded. Example: Babcock gently calling out William Nylander for playing too soft. That got the call-in shows chattering about a possible trade.

?I didn?t see it as a big deal,? Shanahan shrugs. ?I thought the whole city should just relax. He?s coaching. He doesn?t dislike him. It wasn?t punishment. Babs is a phenomenal communicator as to what he wants. There?s no gray. What really impressed me is how, whether we won or lost, Babs would come in the next morning with enthusiasm about what today is about and what tomorrow is about. I think players want that kind of direction. It?s hard sometimes. It?s not easy playing for someone who always demands your best. But I also think it?s hard to play for a coach when you?re not sure what he wants from you. It might be more comfortable playing for certain other guys. But in order to win a championship you have to play for somebody who pushes you to play your best.??

At this point, Shanahan pulls out his phone and scrolls around looking for a specific photo. He finds it: 14-year-old son Jack wearing a Nylander jersey.

?How could I ever [possibly] trade this player?? he laughs.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/cmoresport/status/865289203898175492
www.twitter.com/cmoresport/status/865289203898175492

 

[bustaheims]

Clearly, Nylander is learning from Matthews.

 

[ZBBM]

https://twitter.com/cmoresport/status/865289203898175492
www.twitter.com/cmoresport/status/865289203898175492

Man whoever that guy was, I'd love to get him on the Leafs.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

[tweet]865526014620819456[/tweet]
www.twitter.com/aj_ranger/status/865526014620819456

I'm calling it now: Nylander's getting 30 goals and 70 points next season.

The Leafs would be smart to get him signed to an extension as soon as possible after July 1st.

 

[bustaheims]

I'm calling it now: Nylander's getting 30 goals and 70 points next season.

The Leafs would be smart to get him signed to an extension as soon as possible after July 1st.

Honestly, watching him this past season and in those highlights, and looking at his draft calss (which, granted, is still too early to make definitive judgments on) and you wonder how he fell to 8th instead of going in the top 3. There's a legit argument that the only players who deserved to go before him are Ekblad and Draisaitl - and, in the case of the latter, possibly not by a large margin.

 

[ZBBM]

Who's 19?  Him too please

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'm calling it now: Nylander's getting 30 goals and 70 points next season.

The Leafs would be smart to get him signed to an extension as soon as possible after July 1st.

Honestly, watching him this past season and in those highlights, and looking at his draft calss (which, granted, is still too early to make definitive judgments on) and you wonder how he fell to 8th instead of going in the top 3. There's a legit argument that the only players who deserved to go before him are Ekblad and Draisaitl - and, in the case of the latter, possibly not by a large margin.

I think if he came over to the CHL for his draft season and produced like he probably could then he would have gone top-5. Corey Pronman had him ranked 3rd in his draft rankings, and I remember a few times where he talked about him challenging for 1st overall.

 

[herman]

Honestly, watching him this past season and in those highlights, and looking at his draft class (which, granted, is still too early to make definitive judgments on) and you wonder how he fell to 8th instead of going in the top 3. There's a legit argument that the only players who deserved to go before him are Ekblad and Draisaitl - and, in the case of the latter, possibly not by a large margin.

Some possible reasons:
- Playing in Europe (junior Swedish and then garbage SHL team)
- Some scouts soured on his perceived attitude (selfish, lazy)
- Half the league was still thinking pre-04 lockout in terms of playstyle the way the Ducks, Boston, and LA won

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Off-topic, but since his name was brought up, I'll be very curious to see how Aaron Ekblad's career progresses from here. He didn't really have the greatest season (although obviously Florida's team/organization struggled as a whole), and I think Brian Campbell didn't get enough credit for his effect on Ekblad during his first 2 seasons. And of course now he's got concussion issues too.

 

[herman]

While writing for CanucksArmy, Cam wrote up a pre-draft profile with the hopes that Nylander would fall to the Canucks.

Cam followed Nylander to the Leafs a few months after the draft.

Pronman's profile on Nylander (which just made the cut before going full insider!):

3. William Nylander | RW | Modo (SHL)
DOB: 5/1/96 | 2013-14 stats: 22 GP, 1 G, 6 A, 6 PIM

The son of longtime NHLer Michael Nylander may be the most gifted pure offensive talent in the draft. William had a so-so first half when he struggled to find a role, but had a tremendous second half. Because of that turnaround, I've heard NHL scouts rank him anywhere from No. 2 overall to the 20s. He was over a point per game pace with Sodertalje in the SHL-2, setting a season record for points by an under-18 player, and played around 20 minutes per game with Modo down the stretch. Nylander's pucks skills are elite, as he can be described as "an artist" by some scouts in terms of how well he controls the puck, and the unique plays he makes. Nylander's hockey sense is fantastic as well, in terms of his vision, and offensive intellect. You combine that with a pretty good top gear and Nylander can create all sorts of havoc offensively. Nylander can deke a defender out, make a highlight-reel pass, speed by players. He's not the biggest guy (5-11, 181 pounds), his defensive play needs work, and he can try to do too much sometimes.

Ranking explanation: Nylander has a better skill level than Reinhart, but Reinhart is better physically, and worlds better defensively. Nylander has more upside than Reinhart, but carries more risk in terms of his all-around game. Reinhart's probably a better player right now, but Nylander is in his 17-year-old season (as compared to Reinhart being in his 18-year-old season) and Nylander seems to have more room to grow. For the latter reason, being that I think he has so much upside, and it's easier to close the gap defensively than offensively for an under-20 player, I give the edge to Nylander.

 

[Kin]

Honestly, watching him this past season and in those highlights, and looking at his draft calss (which, granted, is still too early to make definitive judgments on) and you wonder how he fell to 8th instead of going in the top 3.

Well, you figure it's a pretty standard example of teams overrating size combined with the somewhat understandable instinct to try and get #1 C's and D's out of your high draft picks.

 

[Bullfrog]

My lord it would be sweet to have Backstrom on this team. That give-and-go in tight to the net was a thing of beauty.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

My lord it would be sweet to have Backstrom on this team. That give-and-go in tight to the net was a thing of beauty.

You know, Backstrom's darn good, but for the first time in awhile I don't really much 'centre-envy' at the moment.

 

[Kaberle15]

Who's 19?  Him too please

Isn't Nicklas Backstrom ?

 

[caver]

wasn't Don Cherry bashing the Leafs when they drafted Nylander instead of Nick Ritchie ? 

 

[bustaheims]

wasn't Don Cherry bashing the Leafs when they drafted Nylander instead of Nick Ritchie ? 

You know how a lot of us like to call Don Cherry out for being out of touch? This is a prime example. He most definitely did bash the Leafs for not taking Ritchie. He was wrong. So very wrong.

 

[Rebel_1812]

Richie has 14 goals and 28 points in his second year and bring a physical element Nylander doesnt.  This is selective 20-20.  What about the Tlusty over Chris Stewart?  The 2006 draft shows the opposite result.  The truth is the draft is a gamble.

 

[Bender]

Nick Ritchie never produced at a remarkable level in junior. Nylander was breaking records in his age bracket in Sweden.

I don't think Tlusty and Stewart are really comparable.

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

 

[Kin]

I'm not really sure what Chris Stewart vs. Jiri Tlusty proves. Both guys ended up being pretty similarly mediocre.