When the off-season give-away of your star player is the key ‘addition’ to your team, and his apparent hot-dog addiction is the key storyline, you know you’ve got an NHL team with problems. Of course, you’ve also got no goal-scoring on that team.
Prior to the beginning of last summer, it was evident that development and draft picks were the name of the game for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Just when fans started planning the parade after their star coach signing, Mike Babcock himself revealed there would be an abundance of pain before the Leafs would eventually be competitive.
You see, this is Toronto, and in Toronto, they haven’t actually seen game-winning talent in over a decade. Well, they haven’t seen winning in over a decade. The closest Toronto came to winning, was actually losing Game 7 against Boston in typical Toronto collapsing fashion. Whether it’s collapsing in the third period of a key game, or mailing in the last 35 games of the season to miss the playoffs, the Leafs have been the epitome of failure. So this year, the organization didn’t plan a usual collapse; they decided to abandon the idea of winning, ice a sub par line-up while developing their young studs in the minors.
The educated eyes of the fans then shifted to the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects; the future. Ricoh Coliseum- the home of the Toronto Marlies.
Last weekend the Toronto Marlies kicked off their season in style, winning the first two games of their season in a back-to-back against the Winnipeg Jets’ AHL team, the Manitoba Moose. While top prospect Kasperi Kapanen (the pearl of the Phil Kessel deal) was out sick, Connor Brown, William Nylander, Frederik Gauthier, and many other prospects started their seasons.
After an impressive training camp with the big club, both Nylander and Brown have returned to the Marlies to play pivotal roles for the Toronto Marlies. The highly touted Nylander opened the Marlies scoring with the first goal of the season. An absolute beast in the offensive zone, Nylander displayed his silky smooth skating, his ridiculously soft hands, and hockey sense that this organization desperately needs. First year Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe summed it up, “He’s on a new level compared to everyone else here.” After ending the first game with a goal and 9 shots on target, Nylander carried his assertive talent in the first period of the second leg of the back-to-back games against the Manitoba Moose.
Nylander began the first period of the second game where he left off last game. His first contribution was pickpocketing a Manitoba Moose defenseman, turning the other inside out, and shooting on goaltender Eric Comrie. By the time the first period had ended, the 8th overall pick of the 2014 NHL draft had mustered three dangerous shots on goal; creating many of them on his own. What stands out above everyone else is Nylander’s patience and poise with the puck. He never panics under pressure and he knows when to take an extra second to get into a better position. Nylander started the season by reassuring the league that he is a prime offensive threat to any competition.
Connor Brown has been riding shotgun to Nylander since training camp. In junior, Brown was known to be a weak skater. If anything was visible Saturday, it was Brown’s improved skating. The second-year Marlie quarterbacks the power play on this Marlies team and isn’t shy to hold on to the puck and use his legs to get into space. When I asked Brown about his progress, he revealed, “I had a good off-season. I got a lot stronger and a lot faster. I feel like I’m holding on to the puck a ton longer- possessing the puck and being more dangerous.” It is clear that the former OHL star has been working on his weakness and becoming a big part of the Leafs’ future.
Nylander and Brown were combining very well on a Marlies power play that measures in at 33% (3/9) through two games. While the puck luck and points haven’t come together in bunches for the duo, their execution has been admirable. However, Nylander and Brown could afford to shoot the puck more on the power play. The Marlies seemed to lack a shooter in Saturday.
But like every Toronto story, not all is perfect. After a dominant display in the first leg and a good first period, William Nylander simply disappeared for the rest of the game on Saturday. On a 3-on-3 overtime where you’d expect the mercurial talent of the Swede to dominate, he was unable to make any impact. Being head and shoulders in skill among his peers, Nylander was simply under the average line for the final 40 minutes of the game. Connor Brown was visible on the power plays but also disappeared as the game went on. He also did not impress during overtime. Sheldon Keefe agreed, “I thought that line took a step backwards today, probably fatigue was a big part of that. (Nylander needs to) find a level of consistency in his game and his effort, and all the little things without the puck. His game took a step backwards today. Whether its fatigue or whatever it is, you’ve got to fight through it.”
Nylander’s inconsistencies are a weakness that will need to be better. Offensively or defensively, the difference between great and average player is the impact they make over 60 minutes. Nylander will add to the long list of talented players who didn’t make the impact they were able to make, if he continues to disappear in games.
When I asked Connor Brown about what he feels he needs to do to take his development to the next level, he stated, “I want to keep trending in the right direction.”
Whether it’s Nylander behaviour in spending an extra half hour to come out for a post-game interview with the AHL media members (and having them all leave because they’re tired of waiting hours), or Brown saying it’s a huge deal “being close to being a Maple Leaf”- dreams of the NHL are on their minds with the big team struggling and heads might be turning. Top prospects such as Nylander and Brown need to keep their heads squarely on improving on their weaknesses regardless of where they’re playing.
An inconsistent Nylander on the NHL club will simply add to the organizational custom of developing potential stars poorly- a plague surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs for decades. Whether Nylander believes he’s too good for the AHL or not, he has to believe it is where he needs to be to become as great as he can be.
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