You can chart the evolution through Mike Babcock’s own words.
The Toronto Maple Leafs coach has repeatedly been asked a variation of the same question – is William Nylander a centre? – during a 10-month stretch where he’s been deployed almost exclusively as a winger.
Feb. 2, 2017: “I see Willy as a centre, for sure.”
April 25, 2017: “Willy’s not going to be a centre next year.”
Dec. 4, 2017: “Well obviously it’s something that who knows? I mean if I’ve got to use him, I’ll maybe try him there. I’m trying to catch Willy, I’m trying to catch Mitch [Marner], I’m trying to catch all those young guys being good. When you play centre you’re often caught being bad. I don’t really need to catch him doing that, so that’s why he isn’t there.”
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The conversation was renewed after Tyler Bozak missed Monday’s practice with an illness. Nylander skated between James van Riemsdyk and Marner in his absence – a development of debatable news value given Babcock’s daily use of the blender and the fact Toronto’s next game isn’t until Wednesday night against Calgary.
In all likelihood, Nylander was nothing more than a practice placeholder.
The 21-year-old will have to show Babcock that he can handle the defensive zone responsibilities before he’s consistently penciled in down the middle. The coach hasn’t said that outright, but it lingers between the lines.
Nylander is already a capable faceoff man – winning 54.7 per cent of 214 draws this season, most of them on his strong side – and a positive driver of possession. Recently the points have started to come after a dry spell.
There are signs of progress in his game even if he’s officially considered a right-winger by traditional standards. Truth be told, that’s an outdated label in a league where coaches have shifted the responsibilities assigned to each position.
“If I had my way, we wouldn’t have right wing, left wing and centre,” Edmonton’s Todd McLellan said last week. “We’d just have three forwards and they’d just play.”
“Everybody has to be able to play down low, everybody’s interchangeable up front,” he continued. “The first guy on the forecheck isn’t always your left-winger, it isn’t always your centreman. They’re forwards and that’s how they play.”
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There’s an extra layer of interest around the conversation in Toronto because Bozak is currently playing out the final year of his contract and there isn’t a natural replacement waiting in the organization. Cap realities will make it challenging for the team to re-sign Bozak or wade into a free-agent pool that could include John Tavares, Mikael Backlund and Lars Eller, among others, this summer.
Even though Patrick Marleau has played a fair bit in the middle this season, that’s come out of necessity for Babcock. He trusts the 38-year-old at centre more than Nylander, Marner or even Bozak in certain situations on the road.
It’s certainly not the kind of long-term solution the Leafs will need to settle on at some point. With Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri slotted in the top two spots for years to come, Nylander could eventually become the No. 3 – hence the heightened interest any time there’s even a whiff of opportunity to play him there.
Even though Babcock’s tune has changed in the last year, he hasn’t ruled out the possibility entirely.
We just aren’t likely to see it this week when the Flames visit Air Canada Centre. In the NHL, the front office worries about the big picture while the head coach concerns himself with today.
“I’m just trying to win the game against Calgary,” Babcock told reporters on Monday. “Let’s go from there.”
And let nature take its course.
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