There could have been a scenario where Toronto had to use William Nylander up the middle, but their new signings open him up to stick to being a superstar winger.
With Max Domi out, Calle Jarnkrok a free agent, and only a handful of rookies and AHL talent to fill in their centre spots for the 2026-27 season, the Toronto Maple Leafs very well could have had to use William Nylander as a centre either on the second line and slide John Tavares down, or head to the third line himself to give them a jolt.
He's really not that bad of a face-off man either winning nearly 50% of his face-offs with over 1,000 won in his career, but he's naturally a winger and someone who thrives at using his speed, agility, and quick hands to break free and get his fair share of breakaway chances.
Toronto's added centre depth removes the need to use Nylander down the middle
Nylander can't do that though if he's forced to play up the middle and be as much of a defender as possible. Craig Berube tried to mould him into a more defensively savvy player and expected him to work harder which caused a lot of tension between the two.
He's someone who is offensively gifted and brings a certain swagger to the lineup, so strapping him to the defensive side prevents him from really putting on a show.
Which is why it's so smart of them to give Nylander absolutely zero defensive responsibilities this season - well, to some extent.
Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, and Teddy Blueger are all centres who can cover for Nylander this year, while Jack Roslovic can also play in a pinch. Much like the case is with Auston Matthews, you're trying to maximize your offensive potential, so adding defensively savvy role players in a necessity.
You're never going to see Nylander touch the ice on the PK, and while he will start in the defensive zone at times due to icings and other random incidents, it won't be a focal point of his game. With him likely slotted next to John Tavares and Easton Cowan (for now), he can focus on using his two elite playmakers to score.
A permanent return to the wing should maximize Nylander's speed, shot and transition game
From 2021-2023, Nylander took a total of 256 face-offs meanwhile over the past two seasons he's taken 234. While it's again partly due to icings and replacing waved off centres, he's a guy whose strength lies in offence.
Nylander finished last season in the 94th percentile in maximum skating speed, so he's one of the fastest players in the league. Planting him in the middle of the ice and not giving him that breakout opportunity along the wing is going to stifle his production a bit, and he'll need to do more work to get some freedom.
He already showed that he can score in bunches and easily could have managed another 40-goal season with the potential to creep into the 50-goal category. Letting those defensive guys get out of trouble and find Nylander is going to be key.
You can have a duo like Paul and Blueger (both can play wing) using their savvy defensive skills to get the puck loose and find Nylander, who can make a quick change with a winger on the third line - think of when a player takes a face-off then immediately switches off - like that.
Nylander is deadliest when he has room, and for a guy who is already a lighting bolt on the ice, more ice means more high-danger chances for the Swedish superstar.
Getting him from potentially worrying about winning face-offs to worrying about scoring goals is only going to make William Nylander better and that's a bad sign for the rest of the NHL.
Is preventing William Nylander from playing centre a good idea for the Maple Leafs?
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