I'm interested to see the PP look this year without Kadri.

Matthews-Tavares-Marner
Rielly-Barrie

Kapanen-Kerfoot-Johnsson
Muzzin?Dermott?Ceci?Spezza?-Nylander
- AdamFrench

The problem with the second pp unit is they only have 1 puck carrier in nylander. They’ll just swarm him. Then they’ll resort to dump and chase and won’t have anyone to go get the puck.

The 1st powerplay unit would have 4 puck carriers with marner, Matthews, Barrie, and Rielly all being able to skate the puck in.

I feel like they would have to split some of them up.

Dont worry about proof around here.
Its all feelsies.
- Fakepartofme

I like the sound of that. Where’s the gull?

I read something interesting on the Athletic the other day. I don't agree with it, but at least it gives me (false) hope.

The premise was this:

The Leafs' right side was sooooooo franking weak last year, every team in the league would dump the puck into the left side and jam the defenceman, forcing him to make a play to the righty. The righty would constantly frank it up.

So now that they have two righties, that mere fact makes them stronger - the lefties will now have more time and more options to handle the puck.

So we are now stronger on both sides, just by adding Ceci and Barrie.

I'll thank you all for not poking holes in this piece of swiss cheese theory.

I SAID DON'T FRANKING POKE HOLES IN THIS THEORY!!!!!
- Atomic Wedgie

*discards video tape of Cody Ceci playing*

You're really breaking it down that way? You don't think him missing so much had anything to do with it?
- RogerRoeper

A little but its not a complete excuse.
Not for 4 months of the season. He missed 3 months and was suppose to be training practicing etc. Ill give him a month to get up to speed.
So he had 3 months of meh hockey.
Now he did have some good games for sure.
As i said in the past, i expect him back up to 60pts this year no problem.

I like the sound of that. Where’s the gull?
- RafiDRW

Trading marner somewhere on a pier with his flying rat buddies.

*discards video tape of Cody Ceci playing*
- AdamFrench

In fairness though, he was playing for Ottawa.

The problem with the second pp unit is they only have 1 puck carrier in nylander. They’ll just swarm him. Then they’ll resort to dump and chase and won’t have anyone to go get the puck.

The 1st powerplay unit would have 4 puck carriers with marner, Matthews, Barrie, and Rielly all being able to skate the puck in.

I feel like they would have to split some of them up.
- bryant

Put Spezza on the 1st, and drop Marner to #2.

Oh Lord, this is a lot more fun when we would argue that Clarke MacArthur needed to be on the 1st line, and what about trying Tim Brent at the blueline on PP2?

Ok, I think it's pretty clear but anyways. I read all the negotiation, he was compared to those 2 in the media all the time.
- RogerRoeper

The whole thing is really a bad argument, whether you were clear or not. You're using numbers from different seasons. You said that Nylander had back to back 60pt seasons in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, while Pastrnak and Draisaitl jumped from 26pts to 70pts and 51pts to 77pts respectively. You used those back to back 60pt seasons to crutch your argument that he was as good as they were and referenced how the other two jumped in pt totals to further support it, but used their 18yo season as a baseline, but conveniently Nylander's 19yo season as his baseline. Yeah, well when they made that jump it was because those first point totals were from 2015-2016, when Nylander played 22 games and had 13 points at the same age. If we're using the same years, which we should, then Pasta had a 70pt season followed by and 80pt season and Draisaitl had a 77pt season followed by a 70pt season. You could just as easily say Nylander jumped from 13pts to 61pts in the exact same years. I get you're trying to make a point about when they signed, but these players are the same age. You can't make pt total comparisons across different seasons when the players are the same damn age.

*discards video tape of Cody Ceci playing*
- AdamFrench

What the frank is a video tape?

Put Spezza on the 1st, and drop Marner to #2.

Oh Lord, this is a lot more fun when we would argue that Clarke MacArthur needed to be on the 1st line, and what about trying Tim Brent at the blueline on PP2?
- Atomic Wedgie

Don's favourite

What the frank is a video tape?
- Atomic Wedgie

It's kind of like a laser disk, but boxier and not at all.

The way contracts are going…look at list of players who signed $5+ million Dollar contracts this summer—and ask yourself, where would William Nylander fall on this list (Nylander $6.9 Mill Per):

Age: 28 Artemi Panarin $11.6 Mill Per
Age: 22 Sebastian Aho $8.5 Mill Per
Age: 28 Matt Duchene $8 Mill Per
Age: 26 Kevin Hayes $7 Mill Per
Age: 35 Joe Pavelski $7 Mill Per
Age: 23 Timo Meier $6 Mill Per
Age: 32 Mats Zuccarello $6 Mill Per
Age: 29 Gustav Nyquist $5.5 Mill Per
Age: 31 Wayne Simmonds $5 Mill Per


When taking into account, Age, Salary, Productivity over the last 3 years, as well as projected production in 2019-20, the only guys I’d put ahead of him are: Panarin, Aho, and Maybe Matt Duchene.
Panariin also Makes $11.6 Mil....so that becomes a big concern in my opinion.

If Nylander puts up anywhere from 65-75 points, his $6.9 Million Dollar Cap-Hit per season, ends up looking like a steal versus a lot of other contracts that have been recently signed.
- Sandro

I don't see him hitting 75pts, but if he does...f'n eh.
Willie is paid pretty much what he should be.
Unless he hits 75pts...then the contract looks even better.
Lets hope he does

The whole thing is really a bad argument, whether you were clear or not. You're using numbers from different seasons. You said that Nylander had back to back 60pt seasons in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, while Pastrnak and Draisaitl jumped from 26pts to 70pts and 51pts to 77pts respectively. You used those back to back 60pt seasons to crutch your argument that he was as good as they were and referenced how the other two jumped in pt totals to further support it, but used their 18yo season as a baseline, but conveniently Nylander's 19yo season as his baseline. Yeah, well when they made that jump it was because those first point totals were from 2015-2016, when Nylander played 22 games and had 13 points at the same age. If we're using the same years, which we should, then Pasta had a 70pt season followed by and 80pt season and Draisaitl had a 77pt season followed by a 70pt season. You could just as easily say Nylander jumped from 13pts to 61pts in the exact same years. I get you're trying to make a point about when they signed, but these players are the same age. You can't make pt total comparisons across different seasons when the players are the same damn age.
- RickJames77

Trading marner somewhere on pier with his flying rat buddies.

- Fakepartofme

- Atomic Wedgie

Would.

Would.
- Fakepartofme

Who wouldn’t?

- Atomic Wedgie

When did Dozzer die and make you ref?




alright, alright, I'll let it go

But then for Matthews. The best even strength goal scorer in the league by a wide margin gets nothing for it?

Matthews has smashed the league in even strength points and goals while playing less games than everyone. At 21 years old he absolutely deserves to be paid 11.5 until he is 27.

It’s not even up for debate.
- Santo_44

Mathews has not played a full season in the NHL. He needs to show that he can actually put up 120-130 points and win the art Ross to deserve this coin. Not just a projection off 70 points on what he may have gotten had he played a full season.

The whole thing is really a bad argument, whether you were clear or not. You're using numbers from different seasons. You said that Nylander had back to back 60pt seasons in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, while Pastrnak and Draisaitl jumped from 26pts to 70pts and 51pts to 77pts respectively. You used those back to back 60pt seasons to crutch your argument that he was as good as they were and referenced how the other two jumped in pt totals to further support it, but used their 18yo season as a baseline, but conveniently Nylander's 19yo season as his baseline. Yeah, well when they made that jump it was because those first point totals were from 2015-2016, when Nylander played 22 games and had 13 points at the same age. If we're using the same years, which we should, then Pasta had a 70pt season followed by and 80pt season and Draisaitl had a 77pt season followed by a 70pt season. You could just as easily say Nylander jumped from 13pts to 61pts in the exact same years. I get you're trying to make a point about when they signed, but these players are the same age. You can't make pt total comparisons across different seasons when the players are the same damn age.
- RickJames77

Holy lack of paragraphs batman.

But I agree with you.

Would.
- Fakepartofme

Yup.

I don't see him hitting 75pts, but if he does...f'n eh.
Willie is paid pretty much what he should be.
Unless he hits 75pts...then the contract looks even better.
Lets hope he does
- Fakepartofme

75 would be on the higher end for sure.
I can see, him hitting 65-70 points this year.
So at 23 years old, to have that productivity, his contract begins very,VERY good.

75 would be on the higher end for sure.
I can see, him hitting 65-70 points this year.
So at 23 years old, to have that productivity, his contract begins very,VERY good.
- Sandro

becomes, but what if he only hits 55 points?

From last blog

Hes still young and had a down year. But when you have Marner Matthew's and Tavares around him I can see why you might view him as a B-lister. Hes an A level talent, but not elite or star player yet, if ever.
- systemtool


I think Nylander had too much pressure when he came back. He was trying to live up to the deal and the expectations of fans and teammates.

I think the guy comes into camp and the season and shows why he got the deal he got.

All the haters were wrong about the leaf cap situation and how it would result in trading this guy or that guy. So I think they'll be wrong about Nylander as well.

Yup.
- Scabeh

I prefer

I prefer


- AdamFrench