30 May 2017 14:19:18
With Kapanen proving he's more than a 4th line winger the Leafs have so much depth at right wing. I think Nylander is ready to play centre on his own line, therefore Bozak is trade bait.
So here's what I'm thinking for a line up next season; excluding some players who could help bring the leafs a solid RHD.

JVR - Mathews- Marner
Hymen - Nylander - Kapanen
Komarov - Kadri - Brown
Rychel - Boyle - Shoshnikov

Reilly - via trade or UFA
Gardiner - Zaitsev
Rosen - Polak

*sign JVR, Boyle and maybe Polak as he plays the style the leafs need.

Trade Bait --- Bozak, Brown, Bracco, Leipsic, 1st Rd pick (no one is safe except for youth core)

Trade Targets ---- Manson, Montour, Braun, Faulk, Hjalmarsson, Petrovic etc.

1.) 30 May 2017
30 May 2017 14:54:09
Babcock has already said that Nylander will NOT be playing center next season.

2.) 30 May 2017
30 May 2017 14:58:23
Centre is his natural position. I think he was able to prove that at the IIHF World Hockey Championships by winning tournament MVP. Maybe Babs will see he's more ready than he originally thought.

3.) 30 May 2017
30 May 2017 15:34:55
I think you would find Backstrom played centre and Nylander was on the wing.

4.) 30 May 2017
30 May 2017 17:22:21
I agree Nylander should be a center. Once Bozak is gone I bet he will be!

5.) 30 May 2017
30 May 2017 18:26:40
They were still in the regular season when Babcock said this. Had he said he wanted Nylander at C than that would have meant Bozak would be out. Tough for a player to play hard when he knows he's leaving the team the following year. Don't take his comment so seriously.

6.) 01 Jun 2017
01 Jun 2017 01:52:37
You've put Brown down as both the third line RW and as trade bait. If you trade him you've created a gap based on your logic.