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The Toronto Maple Leafs complete their preseason slate with a rematch against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. The club will have to get down to 23 players (or less) and under the salary cap by Monday in advance of the season opener against Montreal on Wednesday, and GM Brad Treliving provided some hints of what the club may do on an interview on TSN 1050’s “Overdrive” on Friday.
"You're going to see him both at center and the wing for the team."
GM Brad Treliving details his perception of the William Nylander center experience and his placement in the lineup for the season. #LeafsForeverpic.twitter.com/BoYeZcRsco
The Leafs have been practicing with William Nylander back at right wing after starting the veteran up the middle the start of training camp, but Treliving indicated that head coach Craig Berube is going to experiment using Nylander up the middle at times and on the wing.
“The idea (of playing Nylander at center) is a really good idea.” Treliving said. “Willie has been a pretty good damn winger, he had 40 goals the last two seasons, he’s dynamic, sometimes he creates his own offense, he sniffs things out. The positions themselves are so different….You do a lot more stopping playing center. It’s a heavier workload defensively, so this is not about abandoning it, I think you are going to be a hybrid.”
The structure of the Leafs lineup would be slightly different based on whether Nylander plays up the middle or on the wall. With him playing second line, Max Domi would play the wing, and John Tavares would slot in as a third line pivot, giving Berube three offensive centers. If Nylander plays the wing, that would mean that Tavares would see his usual second line duty or that Domi would flip positions with Nylander.
The Leafs released their roster for the preseason finale on Saturday and only six players who participated in the 2-0 victory on Thursday will be dressed. Winger Nick Robertson will not play, perhaps an indicator that the 23-year-old’s slot on the roster is secured and that Berube wants to take a look at other players on the bubble or get his other veterans some game action. Joseph Woll is expected to get the start and go the full 60 minutes against a less potent Detroit lineup than they iced on Thursday at home.
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Forward Nick Abruzzese cleared waivers on Friday and was sent to the AHL Toronto Marlies. The club demoted forwards Nikita Grebenkin, Cedric Pare, Roni Hirvonen, Ryan Tverberg, Jacob Quillan, defensemen Mikko Kokkonen, Nicolas Mattinen, Topi Niemela, Cade Webber, goaltender Artur Akhtyamov, along with Alex Nylander, Logan Shaw, Joseph Blandisi Matteo Pietroniro (who are on AHL deals), and waived center Alex Steeves.
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