Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; William Nylander poses for a photo with team officials after being selected as the number eight overall pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Robb Ellis
I think it’s important to look at William Nylander’s background when answering this question. The 42 combined regular season and playoff games Nylander played on the wing with the Marlies last season were an anomaly. His natural position is centre.
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He was drafted as a centreman. His bio at hockeydb.com lists him as a centerman. Before moving to North America in January, Nylander had 20 points in 21 games with MODO of the Swedish Hockey League as a centerman.
With that being said, there are other reasons why Nylander will play centre on the Marlies next season. As I mentioned in last week’s Monday Morning Leaf Points column, Leafs’ assistant general manager Kyle Dubas said as much in an interview less than two weeks ago at Prospect’s Camp.
Playing Nylander on wing would be a waste of the 19-year olds strengths as a player. He’s a slick skater who handles the puck well. His playmaking abilities scream “i’m a center!” For Nylander to perform at his best he needs to handle the puck A LOT and the open ice to skate with it. He won’t get those opportunities on the wing.
The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t had a true number 1 center since another swede left town 7 years ago. It would be a shame if they had one in the organization and didn’t give him the chance to prove it.
Next: Tim Chiasson's Thoughts