Once and for all, it’s time for the Maple Leafs to figure out if William Nylander can hack it up the middle.
For the second straight training camp, the 26-year-old, who’s fresh off signing a lucrative eight-year extension last January, will get a shot to steer his own ship.
In the grand scheme of things, for a variety of reasons, the decision to experiment with this once again makes a lot of sense. Most importantly, provided he gets adequate time at the position, it should go a long way in finally putting some finality to the long-standing debate for the organization.
As mentioned though, if the Leafs are truly committed to giving this a serious go, it’s imperative that Craig Berube gives Nylander some rope here. Last fall, Sheldon Keefe gave the All-Star forward, who played centre extensively growing up, just two preseason outings at the position before ultimately shifting him back to the wing. Indisputably, that’s not nearly enough time to make an appropriate assessment.  This time around, Nylander needs the duration of training camp and at least 10 regular season games —if not more. Long story short, this needs to be a long-term project, not an assignment you half-heartedly put together the night before it’s due.
Reading into Nylander’s comments after practice on Thursday, he too was puzzled by the quick trial run last September. For all we know, he wants an honest go at the position at the NHL level, and to this point, he hasn’t been given the opportunity.
Any way you slice it, now’s the time to figure out a few things. With the aging John Tavares naturally declining at the position and likely headed for the wing in the not too distance future, the Leafs will get a chance to see if they will be able to fill their impending need for a second line centre internally. One way or another, clarity is coming, which unquestionably will help the organization ten-fold moving forward as they map out the future.
Over and above all that, the timing makes a lot of sense for this, too. The Leafs have a new coach with a fresh perspective and a different approach from his predecessor. On paper, moving Nylander to centre lengthens the lineup exponentially. From a match-up standpoint, it would make the Leafs so much more difficult to game plan against.
Suffice it is to say, a lot’s riding on this experiment, and if it works out, Toronto could very well evolve into a perennial Stanley Cup contender —if they haven’t already.

Once and for all, it’s time for the Maple Leafs to figure out if William Nylander can hack it up the middle.

For the second straight training camp, the 26-year-old, who’s fresh off signing a lucrative eight-year extension last January, will get a shot to steer his own ship.

In the grand scheme of things, for a variety of reasons, the decision to experiment with this once again makes a lot of sense. Most importantly, provided he gets adequate time at the position, it should go a long way in finally putting some finality to the long-standing debate for the organization.

As mentioned though, if the Leafs are truly committed to giving this a serious go, it’s imperative that Craig Berube gives Nylander some rope here. Last fall, Sheldon Keefe gave the All-Star forward, who played centre extensively growing up, just two preseason outings at the position before ultimately shifting him back to the wing. Indisputably, that’s not nearly enough time to make an appropriate assessment.  This time around, Nylander needs the duration of training camp and at least 10 regular season games —if not more. Long story short, this needs to be a long-term project, not an assignment you half-heartedly put together the night before it’s due.

Reading into Nylander’s comments after practice on Thursday, he too was puzzled by the quick trial run last September. For all we know, he wants an honest go at the position at the NHL level, and to this point, he hasn’t been given the opportunity.

Any way you slice it, now’s the time to figure out a few things. With the aging John Tavares naturally declining at the position and likely headed for the wing in the not too distance future, the Leafs will get a chance to see if they will be able to fill their impending need for a second line centre internally. One way or another, clarity is coming, which unquestionably will help the organization ten-fold moving forward as they map out the future.

Over and above all that, the timing makes a lot of sense for this, too. The Leafs have a new coach with a fresh perspective and a different approach from his predecessor. On paper, moving Nylander to centre lengthens the lineup exponentially. From a match-up standpoint, it would make the Leafs so much more difficult to game plan against.

Suffice it is to say, a lot’s riding on this experiment, and if it works out, Toronto could very well evolve into a perennial Stanley Cup contender —if they haven’t already.

The timing’s supremely right to give William Nylander a serious look up the middle: Alberga’s Take

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