Wild @ Leafs - Feb. 24th, 7:00pm - TSN4, TSN 1050

[rdowdall]

Nylander came up the hockey system playing significantly higher than his age group most of the time, so his game was built against using his skating and stick skills to beat much larger players to the puck. He's a bigger body now and has adapted to use it to hang onto the puck even better in board battles.

Hitting is a valid way to separate the puck from an opponent, but so is a good stick check with sound defensive positioning. One play sort of blends the puck separation and puck control.

My whole knock on him and what my complaint is his lack of desire to go to the dirty areas, avoids contact all the time etc etc. He retrieves pucks well that's a good thing but how often have we seen him shy away from opponents or give up on plays because he doesn't want contact. It's absolutely horrible to watch and the worst part about it is he's not a small player. Said it last week Matthews to me this year has picked up his game this year and I personally think it's because he's using his body more. Leafs aren't a bruising team but when you compare his hits to the rest of the team it's frustrating the comparisons. We've been saying this about him since he entered the league. You always wonder as they mature maybe that element will pick up in their game but you ain't going to see it with Willy it is what it is. You don't win championships with guys like him sorry but keep defending him.

If you look up Nylander's game events, you'll find most of them are in the 'dirty areas' of the ice; takeaways everywhere, goals from the circles and in. At this point it just sounds like you've made up your mind, regardless of video and statistical evidence. If Nylander was the only player we had, I could agree we wouldn't win a championship.

Matthews has always used his body defensively and to pick up the puck. He's better defensively now because he got coached to improve his awareness and commitment to staying on the right side of the play.

It is unfair that this narrative around Nylander has risen up.  Azzuri isn't alone in his criticisms.  The radio here in Ottawa has Shawn Simpson on in the morning show.  He's a former scout for the Leafs, who was a major supporter of trading Rask for Raycroft because he backed Pogge.  Let that sink in for a moment and then continue on reading.

He was very critical of Nylander yesterday morning, talking about how he just couldn't understand why the Leafs management loves him so much because he just goes invisible for long stretches, and you can't count on him.  To which his co-host responded with "But he was by far the Leafs best player in the playoffs against Montreal", to which Simpson responded with "Yeah but that was Montreal, I just don't see him doing that against a Florida or a Tampa Bay". 

It's unfair that once a bias, or a perception of a player is attached, it's very hard for them to get away from that.  We all knew that though because we saw what happened first hand with Phil Kessel here in Toronto, who was miscast from the beginning as a player, and the treatment of him that came from that.   

Look, Nylander isn't a perfect player, no one is saying that but to be fair, nobody should be expecting that either.  Things have been bad for the Tavares line since the new year.  There is no disputing that.  Could be a bunch of reasons why, but for the most part, a lack of effort is not the reason.  Bounces haven't gone their way, and I will admit that it does look like their confidence is a little shot right now which is making them play differently than they normally do, but that's because they don't want to lose, not because the don't want to help the team win. 

However, when the Tavares line gets hot again, it will be dominate.  And when that Tavares line dominates, the Leafs will win games, regardless of how the rest of the team plays.  If they are putting up points, it gives the chance for the Leafs to win a game.  That is how good that line can be.  Same with the Matthews line.  When they are dominate, as they were in this game against Minnesota, it's enough for the Leafs to win a game.  So right there, the Leafs have two lines that on any given night, if one of them dominates, the Leafs will win.  There are only five or six teams in the League that can say that, and Nylander is a big part of why that is.  So trading him, benching him, asking him to change his game, all contributes to the Leafs not being in that category.  Is it frustrating that it looks like he plays different some times?  Sure is, but at some point when he gets going, he will be the reason that the Leafs win a game.

In a sport that has a high degree of chance tied to it, that is what Nylander gives you. A higher chance of winning.