Maple Leafs assistant GM Dubas on Nylander recall: 'We need to be patient with William'

Like everyone else in the city, the Toronto Maple Leafs couldn't ignore William Nylander's performance at the World Juniors.

Recently the Maple Leafs reassessed their plans for how Nylander would spend his 18-year-old season following his stellar performance at the World Junior Championship, assistant general manager Kyle Dubas said during a radio appearance on Sportsnet 590 the Fan on Monday.

"We always want to be adaptive," Dubas explained. "Following the World Juniors we reassessed the situation, saw where the (Toronto) Marlies were, and thought (playing there would be) a good fit with his development."

While Nylander will join the organization and play in the American Hockey League for the balance of this season, Dubas insisted the Maple Leafs' top prospect would not be rushed into NHL duty, for any reason, this year.

"We need to be patient with William," Dubas said. "Our entire organization fully understands that, now, each day and every time he has a good game there will be questions asked.

"We really need to do what's best for these players and their development and not just make a splash by calling them up when they've had short-term success (at the AHL level)," Dubas continued. "(We want to) bring them up when they're ready to play in the NHL and sustain a solid level of play in the NHL for the duration."

The Maple Leafs are reportedly targeting January 23 as the date for Nylander's Marlies debut, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

As for what Dubas believes Nylander will have to work on as he adjusts to the North American game, the Maple Leafs executive suggested he's much like any other uber-talented 18-year-old player. He mostly needs to get bigger and stronger before hanging with NHL players on an everyday basis.

"The main thing we want to see him do," Dubas explained, "is continue to get stronger and work on his ability to protect the puck and maintain possession of (the puck) under physical duress. With our staff here we feel we're well equipped to do that and move him ahead."

Moving Nylander ahead without rushing him into the show too quickly - that's the delicate balance the Maple Leafs will look to achieve. 

Now it's up to Nylander to light up the AHL and make Maple Leafs brass reassess their plans for him yet again.