Leafs William Nylander very critical of former head coach Sheldon Keefe
Reporters caught up with William Nylander at the first on-ice sessions of the Leafs training camp, and he was heavily critical of Devils coach Sheldon Keefe.
William Nylander of the Toronto Maple Leafs is coming into this season fresh off his best year yet, recording a career-high 98 points in all 82 games played. Even though he has always been regarded as a winger, the center position is at least something to consider with the construction of the current roster heading into training camp.
Nylander has taken some center-ice shifts with a positional change briefly experimented with by former head coach Sheldon Keefe. However, the experiment didn't really last that long, and Keefe put Nylander back to his usual spot on the wing.
Recently, via a post from Mark Masters on X, Nylander stated that he did not get a proper chance to prove himself at center by Sheldon Keefe.
Why was experiment so short last year?
"I don't know. You'll have to ask my old coach" - Nylander said smiling.
This statement truly encapsulates how Nylander was not satisfied with the way things were run under Keefe and that he wasn't given an actual chance to shine in said role.
If William Nylander elevates his game at center, the Leafs will benefit greatly due to the added flexibility. For one, John Tavares can play easily as a third-line center, and they would then have three top centers. What a luxury that would be!
| POLL | ||
19 SEPTEMBRE | 238 ANSWERS Leafs William Nylander very critical of former head coach Sheldon Keefe Should the Leafs play William Nylander at center? | ||
| Yes | 195 | 81.9 % |
| No | 43 | 18.1 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
