In the midst of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ preseason, the spotlight has once again fallen on William Nylander. After initial attempts to transition him to the center position, Nylander finds himself back on the wing, skating alongside John Tavares and Max Domi in practice on Wednesday. This strategic move raises intriguing questions about Sheldon Keefe’s coaching decisions, his willingness to stick with his experiment, and the team’s overall defensive structure.
Is Keefe already bailing on this idea? Is he giving Nylander a break and trying out something else? If the Maple Leafs are having second thoughts, why so quickly?
The Maple Leafs Were Adamant About Giving This An Extended Look
One practice back on the wing does not mean Keefe has completely abandoned the idea of Nylander in the middle, but it’s not a good sign. Initially, the Leafs had expressed their intention to genuinely explore Nylander’s potential as a center, with many insiders saying this wasn’t just a ploy, but a real plan of attack that the Leafs were going to stick with for most of the season. Most believed that a real disaster would have to occur to switch back.
This move was viewed as a crucial experiment, one that required patience and persistence. However, Nylander’s (and the team’s) recent performance in the preseason game against Montreal drew concerns. The line he anchored struggled defensively, with shots heavily favoring the Canadiens. Still, this can’t be the catalyst to switch things up already, can it?
Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Domi, Matthews, Tavares & Lafferty
Critics argue that expecting Nylander, a seasoned winger with eight years of NHL experience in that role, to adapt seamlessly to the center position immediately might be unrealistic. That he’s being moved back to the wing already in practice suggests the coach is having doubts.
A Lack Of Resolve is Not a Good Sign
Jonas Siegel of The Athletic aptly pointed out the challenges Nylander is expected to face during the preseason. He emphasized that while some hiccups should have been expected, the transition process required time and consistent support from the coaching staff, something it already seems like Keefe isn’t giving.
Siegel writes:
Now, it was just Nylander’s second game of the preseason. He hasn’t had a ton of reps. It would be unreasonable to think he would just show up and shine at centre after playing on the wing for all but a handful of his more than 500 NHL games. Keefe is going to have to give this time. Let Nylander settle into the rhythms and responsibilities of playing the position on the regular for the first time since he was outside the NHL.
source – ‘What we’ve learned at Maple Leafs camp: Knies ready for more, Liljegren breaking out’ – Jonas Siegel – The Athletic – 10/04/2023
The primary concern lies not in Nylander’s offensive capabilities, but in the team’s ability to maintain a strong defensive front. Not only did Nylander’s shift to center inherently risked disrupting the balance of the Leafs’ top six, but it also came with a guarantee that Keefe was messing with their defensive setup. Keefe did it anyway. The recent loss to Montreal highlighted defensive vulnerabilities, casting doubt on the effectiveness of this experimental move.
Perhaps the coach is already concerned that if the Leafs continue to concede goals at the current rate, they might find themselves in a precarious position, especially in the early stages of the regular season.
What Is the Backup Plan for the Maple Leafs?
This situation prompts the question: what is the contingency plan if Nylander’s transition to center is already being questioned? Even more, what happens if the experiment continues but he fails to bolster the team’s defensive prowess? The Leafs face the daunting task of determining an alternative strategy.
As Siegel also points out, reverting to a third line centered around David Kämpf, who lacks offensive firepower, might not be the solution. Shifting the responsibility to Max Domi, another player with defensive liabilities, could exacerbate the problem rather than resolve it. Frankly, the Leafs needed this experiment to work.
Keefe and his coaching staff face a challenging dilemma: to persist with the current strategy and invest time in Nylander’s adaptation or to swiftly devise a more viable defensive plan before the regular season kicks off. If the move in practice on Wednesday suggests anything, the fact that the team is already having serious doubts is not a good sign.
