(Article) Canucks could roll the dice on William Nylander in draft

[KSniper88]

Ritchie is going to be a second liner at best, while Nylander is going to be a 1st liner at best.

[KSniper88]

Theres a reason why Tallon the guy who took the risk and drafted the undersized skilled Kane is interested in Nylander and Ehlers

[Bure_Pavel]

Nylander had an amazing u18 tournament! Only 2 of his 16 points were secondary assists with 6 goals and 8 primary assists in 7 games.

[Derp...]

If we take Nylander and he doesn't turn into what the Canucks need he will still have high value.

He probably add more value to our team than anyone else outside the top 3.

he is either a star, or a good trade for something we like better.

[Apple Juice]

Curious what they mean by "Attitude" wasn't attitude what sealed Seguin's fate as a Bruin? Not sure how Benning feels abut a prospect with an attitude issue.

We're talking about the attitude and swagger on the ice. Seguin had attitude on and off the ice and it was too much for the Bruins locker room to handle. Remember when Kane had his days with his attitude problem off the ice? He quickly learned how to be a pro off the ice and play with an attitude and swagger on the ice and managed to control it. Seguin never did and that led to his departure from Boston.

[EV604]

Nylander all the way!! We need a dynamic player with pure offensive skills in our organization!!

Virtanin out 4-6 months with a major shoulder surgery!! I love the hometown kid but seems like his body mite be wearing down already =\

[EV604]

That's wat they said about Taylor Pyatt and Rafi Torres! Torres was 5th overall

[DeltaSwede]

Kyle Beach not even comparable to Ritchie too.

In addition to your points on how that is a terrible comparison

Ritchie is a much greater fighter then Beach too, not just a better player, not just a higher IQ, not just a better shot, not just a better team leader, not just better statistically. But the kid plays with heart, fights with heart.

That video of Beach was him thinking he can push around a much smaller Bruton and he gets 1 punched KOd and had concussion problems.

Whereas Ritchie takes on a monster in Hunter Smith and more than holds his ground, the next fight too he goes from getting hit with his own helmet to shaking it off resetting his skates and unloading for the KO.

Ritchie is really incomparable to Beach. Beach was a overhyped moron.

Well since I was the person to bring up the comparison I guess I have to defend my opinion to some extent. You say that he was a overhyped moron, but you are saying that in retrospect. Kyle Beach won rookie of the year in the WHL in 2007, was a point per game player and touted as a lottery pick at one point. Canucks fans were screaming for management to draft him but Gillis went with Hodgson instead. What is Kyle Beach doing today? who knows. Similar in sice, similar in the tools that everyone drools over, similar in the way that physical size is so overrated, which brings me to my next point, Virtanen. There was a poster saying that they would pick Ritchie over Virtanen and I am having trouble figuring out why anyone would do that. Virtanen has a higher offensive upside than Ritchie having the best shot and being one of the best skaters in the draft as well as still having significant room to fill out his frame. Combine that with a player that plays like he is 6'6 260 pounds and you got a real gamer, a home grown talent at that. I am not from Vancouver or B.C but I do understand the dream of playing for your hometown team and how that could really boost a players desire to succeed.

You are more than entitled to your own opinion but I think my comparison with Ritchie and Beach is fair. Highly touted power forwards with skill. Not every prospect that has that description turns into a Milan Lucic. I have not seen something special with Ritchie more than that he is more physically mature than his opposition and benefits from that. I would much rather draft a guy who has had success at the junior level and that needs to fill his frame out. How much more can Ritchie grow in size really?

after the top 5 for me after the combine:

6. Nylander

7. Virtanen

8. Fleury

9. Ehlers

10. Kapanen

11. Ritchie

Tom Sestito was also a point per game player in the OHL at one point. Being 6'3 and 236 pounds in a league that hosts 15-21 year olds can be a real benefit on the scoresheet. It's that typical thing, there is always that one kid in midget that is more physically mature and just dominates everyone, but once everyone catches up to him physically, he just becomes one of many.

Since this a Nylander thread, I feel entitled to mention him more than one time in my post. I would really like the Canucks to draft him now if none of the top 5 drop, or they move up in the draft. If you would have asked me a week ago before the combine I would have just said I am praying for one of the top 5 to drop.

[EV604]

Get Ritchie. He's got the highest ceiling of all the prospects outside the top 5 (hell, maybe in the whole draft). He's a big man who can shoot, skate, fight and body check. The downsides are inconsistency (which is due to him being a beast when he's on his game), weight (he can lose it in the NHL, not a huge problem since he's a good skater already) and injuries (looked fine down the final strech of the season).

For me, these are the guys who I think can be top line players:

-Ekblad

-Reinhart

-Draisaitl

-Ritchie

Since the 1st 3 are likely going in the top 3 picks, I'd love to get Nick. High risk, massive reward.

Jensen Horvat Shink (Scoring, speed and skill)

Ritchie Gaunce Kassian (BIG guys)

Looks good.

No way!! They said the same about Tyler Biggs and Tom Watson!! These big guys that supposedly do it all end up being nothing but grinders in the league. (Nothing wrong with it) but if we're picking 6th overall gotta go with the skills.

[Canuck Surfer]

Just another unsubstantiated rumour. Someone's friend of a friend heard that Dal Colle hate the Canucks!

This type of attitude, if true, will only hex Dal Colle with the Lindros pox. Its not just a disease, its a curse... Somewhere in Quebec there is a Nordiques medicine man with a voodoo doll, some leftover pins, and thought it might still be fun to have a cross to bear...

What goes around, comes around to even the best talents!

[ForsbergTheGreat]

If the top 5 stay as planned and we take Nylander at 6.

One of the following will be available at 10 to grab (assuming we deal Kes):

Ehlers, Fleury, Ritchie, Virtanen

[smokes]

Truth is this European draft picks have always turned out better than the North American draft picks. Sedins, Ohlund, Edler, Hansen History can have anything to do with it

[70seven]

Truth is this European draft picks have always turned out better than the North American draft picks. Sedins, Ohlund, Edler, Hansen History can have anything to do with it

Too bad that Nylander was born in Calgary and raised in the US.

[Ghostsof1915]

We need consistent scoring, not streaky scoring. One guy alone is not going to do it. We need 4 lines that play, and to have a scoring threat on each line.

I'm thinking that Linden and Benning have not revealed anything on what they'll do. Because this report states they want Nylander. Yet Benning is going to try and do everything to draft Reinhart? So which is it?

I think we're in the realm of speculation before the draft.

[70seven]

People keep talking about this kids attitude, but im not sure its really that big an issue. He knows hes really good. Hes been surrounded by top notch talent growing up. He was even babysat by Nick Backstrom in Sweden. All those guys know that one of the fundamentals to have success in any stream of life is to believe in yourself.

I was listening to a combine interview and the last question was "Are you sick of everyone attaching you to your Dad? Your Dad this, adn your Dad that?"

His reply "Not at all. He's been the most positive support and helped me through the ups and the downs. You can ask about my Dad anytime."

THat to me shows that A: He recognizes that he needs help on the journey, and has no problem sharing the fact that its not all about him. and B: That he has a strong sense of loyalty.

Those are attributes that combat arrogance. Which leads me to believe that he's full of confidence in terms of his ability and his potential, but people like his Dad help him to be grounded but to stay confident, even in the down times.

If you look at a lot of young talented NHLers, a break in confidence is generally what sets them back. If this is an area which he has stregnth, it will only help him to achieve his potential imo... And that potential imo is a PPG player, whos an all around offensive threat. Hes also 5'11" - 181. Thats not a small 18 year old.

Imagine we kept Kes and threw Willie on his wing? You dont think that swagger would be contagious? Kes finally having some top caliber skill on one wing and possibly keeping a 2 way checker in Higgins or Burrows on the other to help support Nylander.

Clearly I think there will be a few more changes to the forward roaster, but the addition of a top 6 talent whom might possibly be ready, and keeping jensen in the lineup, this roster is rolling 4 lines deep. No Dalpe, Schroeder, Sestito filling out the 4th line, but basically two 2nd lines and two 3rd lines. While it still lacks a lot of things, its a group that should be able to play together as one unit while spreading out the ice time and keeping the team fresh throughout the game.

sedin sedin jensen

higgins kesler nylander/draisaitl/reinhart (all can play C/W), might as well play a talented rookie beside a selke winning vet.

booth? richardson kassian

burrows matthias hansen

horvat?

santorelli?

[TOMapleLaughs]

Imagine we kept Kes and threw Willie on his wing? You dont think that swagger would be contagious? Kes finally having some top caliber skill on one wing and possibly keeping a 2 way checker in Higgins or Burrows on the other to help support Nylander.

This scenario will likely never happen due to Willie being years away from NHL icetime, but even if it did happen Kesler would just look down his nose at this little kid and snicker, 'This is the winger they're giving me? Where's MayRay?'

Esp. if Willie attempted any 'swagger.' He would rapidly become a lockerroom joke like Coho.

[jdatb]

This scenario will likely never happen due to Willie being years away from NHL icetime, but even if it did happen Kesler would just look down his nose at this little kid and snicker, 'This is the winger they're giving me? Where's MayRay?'

Esp. if Willie attempted any 'swagger.' He would rapidly become a lockerroom joke like Coho.

Your obsession with large guys is disturbing.

[GB5]

The original article isn't overly impressive. Comparing William Nylander to his dad and saying William is better seems like a rather lukewarm endorsement.

Michael Nylander was a good but hardly a great NHL player.

All in all, if the Canucks were to look to a skilled forward, Ehlers seems a better pick, he's played in North America and should have a better grasp on the game.

[TOMapleLaughs]

Your obsession with large guys is disturbing.

Where in my post did I mention size?

Oh... Right... Nylander is a little kid. Sorry.

Do we realize that a lot of non-undersized guys in the draft have comparable skill too?

[jdatb]

Where in my post did I mention size?

Oh... Right... Nylander is a little kid. Sorry.

Do we realize that a lot of non-undersized guys in the draft have comparable skill too?

Firstly, Nylander isn't undersized. He's already 5 11, and is very likely to grow.

Secondly, comparing MayRay to Nylander is ridiculous. The skill level of Nylander is far higher than Raymond's.

I don't have anything at all against any of the other guys in the draft like Ritchie. However, size isn't everything. I feel that at 6th, taking Nylander is a better option. By the way, I'm sorry for the rude comment. It's my early morning attitude.