Nikita Soshnikov
- Thread starter jonlleafs
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Coco-puffs
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Something to consider:
Soshnikov has almost exclusively played RW despite being a left-shot. Is he comfortable playing LW?
If he's not, he won't be moving up the lineup anytime soon as RW is currently Nylander-Marner-Brown.
I'd personally like to see him and Hyman switch spots... or Sosh with Kadri-Brown, Komarov with Matthews-Nylander. Either way, Hyman on the 4th line please!
Soshnikov has almost exclusively played RW despite being a left-shot. Is he comfortable playing LW?
If he's not, he won't be moving up the lineup anytime soon as RW is currently Nylander-Marner-Brown.
I'd personally like to see him and Hyman switch spots... or Sosh with Kadri-Brown, Komarov with Matthews-Nylander. Either way, Hyman on the 4th line please!
Highlander
Active member
how about Shos-Nylander-Leipsec
Coco-puffs
New member
herman said:
And Kaberle can play Center too right?
Highlander
Active member
Ya it kind of scary to think that Leipsic, Kapanen, Johnson are with the Marlies, 3 years back they all would have been pressed into the front lines, way before they were ready. Even Neilson may have been pressed with the ol admin.
McGarnagle
New member
herman said:
Not saying you're wrong, but hasn't been proven.
Coco-puffs
New member
McGarnagle said:
Well, he's proven he's good on RW this year, and his performance last year at Centre was pretty good too (both in the AHL and NHL). He hasn't played LW, so it hasn't been proven he'd be comfortable there and that was my point.
herman
Well-known member
McGarnagle said:
I only have regular stats to work with:
2013/14 MODO - Wing: 22 GP / 1 G / 6 A / 7 Pts
2014/15 MODO - Centre: 21 GP / 8 G / 12 A / 20 Pts
2014/15 Marlies - Wing: 37 GP / 14 G / 18 A / 32 Pts
2015/16 Marlies - Centre: 38 GP / 18 G / 27 A / 45 Pts
2015/16 Leafs - Centre: 22 GP / 6 G / 7 A / 13 Pts
You could say on the wing seasons he's just getting his feet wet, and in the following season he is established, but centre is a harder position.
You should play Nylander in the middle for the same reason you put your best hitters at the top of the line up. This season, with Matthews, they're both actually playing more of a hybrid center/wing role.
As for Nylander on the LW:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHPR8CmMn8Q[/youtube]
Watch how much time #21 spends on the left side of the ice and let me know how comfortable you think he is.
Also: he played primarily left wing on Modo and the Marlies before being shifted to centre.
Coco-puffs
New member
1. He played center at the 2015 WJC (that video is almost 2 years old now). Alex Holmstrom was his Left Winger for most of the tournament (#25)
2. Playing the Left point on the Power Play (a good portion of the video) does not count.
3. When I see him handling pinching NHL defensemen on his weak side and making the same breakout passes he's being doing from RW or at least not getting hemmed in, he'll have proven he can play LW in the NHL.
I've already suggested they try him there too. Preaching to the choir to some degree. At this point, anything to get Hyman off that line would be good.
2. Playing the Left point on the Power Play (a good portion of the video) does not count.
3. When I see him handling pinching NHL defensemen on his weak side and making the same breakout passes he's being doing from RW or at least not getting hemmed in, he'll have proven he can play LW in the NHL.
I've already suggested they try him there too. Preaching to the choir to some degree. At this point, anything to get Hyman off that line would be good.
Highlander
Active member
AHL Player of the Month Dude
herman
Well-known member
Coco-puffs said:
There probably aren't highlight videos of Nylander's defence for obvious reasons.
All I can tell you, probably more McGarnagle, is he's played 2 pro seasons on the LW before (putting up great numbers), and they always eventually shifted him to centre anyway (putting up unprecedented numbers).
Thus, Nylander can play all three forward positions, and he's best at centre.
Sosh with Matthews - Nylander opens up some easier passing plays across the crease and from behind the net. Sosh tends to prefer the RW though (he's a shooter).
McGarnagle
New member
herman said:
Again, not saying you won't be right, just that you can't make that proclamation yet about where he's currently best at. Proving something in subleagues and developmental leagues does not definitively translate to identical outcomes in the NHL.
I think there's a solid reason why Babcock has him on the wing at this stage (where he's excelling), and it isn't just because of the makeup of the squad.