‘Why Would They Not Give (William) Nylander One other Look At Middle?’: Might the Swede be the Key to the Maple Leafs' Depth Down the Center?

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September 14, 2024

The Toronto Maple Leafs actively prioritized the blueline and goaltending state of affairs in NHL free company. Except for re-signing ahead Max Domi to a four-year, $15 million contract, the Leafs haven’t considerably strengthened their lineup offensively. Beneath their star-studded ‘Core 4,’ the recurring query stays: Have they got sufficient depth at heart, and if not, what’s the answer?

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On the primary day of coaching camp forward of the 2023-24 season, now-former Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe advised the media they’d attempt winger William Nylander at heart. The thought, sparked by basic supervisor Brad Treliving, noticed the Swede play the place for under a handful of preseason video games earlier than he was moved again to the wing for the common season.

Now, with no vital free company additions to bolster the middle place, the dialog is being revisited: Might Nylander be the important thing to the Leafs’ depth down the center? Jonas Siegel, a Leafs reporter for The Athletic appeared on TSN’s First Up on Thursday, expressing his beliefs that the Leafs ought to give it one other attempt.

“Look what occurred final yr. I wrote this in the summertime – I wrote an entire column. This is smart. I don’t know why they don’t do that primarily based on what they did in free company – which was nothing so far as including a middle,” Siegel defined.

Siegel added, “They checked out it, it was too costly, they didn’t add anybody. You return to final yr, the primary day of coaching camp, the most important story of the day (was that) they’re shifting William Nylander to heart. Sheldon Keefe comes out and explains this was Brad Treliving’s thought. He needs to see Nylander at heart.”

Siegel steered that Keefe’s lack of perception in Nylander at heart could have been the first motive why the experiment was short-lived. For instance, Keefe and Co. opted to pick Fraser Minten out of coaching camp and slot him into the middle position, regardless of Minten having no NHL expertise. However now, with Treliving nonetheless on the helm and a brand new bench boss calling the photographs, Craig Berube, Siegel is advocating for a second have a look at Nylander down the center.

“I used to be like, ‘Let’s see this,’ they usually give it every week. He doesn’t even play a daily season recreation,” Siegel stated. “You set a few of these items collectively, and you understand the overall supervisor needs to see this – he thinks there’s something there. The earlier head coach didn’t consider in it, clearly. He moved Fraser Minten into that spot when he had by no means performed within the NHL earlier than forward of Nylander.”

It’s not as if Nylander lacks expertise on the place. The 28-year-old was drafted as a middle and performed up the center for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies all through his two seasons with the affiliate. Theoretically, the shift may create the Leafs’ depth up the center as Auston Matthews, Nylander, and John Tavares – an affordable trio with loads of star energy behind it.

As Siegel mentions, the choice choices embody selling David Kampf to the 3C position or shifting Domi to heart – a place he performed throughout components of the 2023-24 postseason and numerous factors within the common season. Regardless, Siegel’s reasoning is easy: Nylander as a middle may doubtlessly remedy one of many Leafs’ most urgent points upfront. It will permit the staff to unfold its offensive expertise throughout three traces, making a extra balanced assault. Apart from, if it succeeds, Siegel factors out he may present the Leafs with a top-two heart for the subsequent 4 years alongside Matthews.

“You have a look at their puzzle items and what are they going to do. Why would they not give Nylander one other have a look at heart and attempt to go along with Matthews, Nylander, and Tavares as their three facilities?” Siegel requested. “I simply assume it is smart, and it’s one thing I’ve been understanding in my head and I’ve a hunch that I’m going to be proper.”

“What’s a greater choice? Inform me what the higher choice is. Do you need to return to having David Kampf because the third heart? Do you need to have Max Domi as your third heart? What do you need to do? I believe this provides them the chance to construct some depth by way of three traces. I believe it’s the perfect play long-term truthfully to see if this could work. All of a sudden, for those who make Nylander a middle and it really works, now you will have your prime two facilities for the subsequent 4 years.”

Nylander has vital offensive upside, posting profession highs in assists (58), factors (98), and tying his career-high in objectives (40) within the 2023-24 season. The ahead’s eight-year, $92 million contract extension kicks on this fall, and whereas some would possibly argue that shifting Nylander again to heart would include dangers, the potential rewards could also be well worth the gamble. On the very least, it’s an choice the Leafs may discover extra critically than they did final season.