Keefe admits to pushing Nylander harder than most; Nylander takes reps with Matthews on the PK
Sheldon Keefe appears to be making good on his pre-training camp promise to utilize Auston Matthews on the penalty kill this season. This morning at Leafs practice on day 3 of camp, Keefe had Matthews running PK drills. However, there was another surprising face taking PK reps as well; William Nylander.
Nylander isn't the most apt defender among forwards on the team, but with the skill and vision he possesses, he could certainly improve a lot in this area if he wanted to. Sheldon Keefe revealed earlier this week that he believes in Nylander and thinks he can do anything he puts his mind to because "he's just that good".
"At times I push William hard because I believe in his ability... There's common ground. He wants to be great, I'm trying to help him do that." - Keefe on why he pushes Nylander so much harder than anyone else on the team
If Nylander improves on the defensive side of the puck this season and also maintains his status as a point-per-game player, maybe he will end up being worth the $10M per season that he's seeking. And if he can provide the Leafs with more than what he gave them last season, perhaps the team will be more open to raising their offer to the 27-year-old Swede.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 23 | 419 ANSWERS Keefe admits to pushing Nylander harder than most; Nylander takes reps with Matthews on the PK Do you think William Nylander could be a solid penalty killer for the Leafs? | ||
| Yes, if he applies himself | 206 | 49.2 % |
| No, he's too offensive-minded | 117 | 27.9 % |
| He's too selfish and lazy | 96 | 22.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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