William Nylander is producing at a pace most players would happily take, but the Maple Leafs winger says the feel of his game still isn’t right.
Through 17 games, Nylander has piled up 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points, yet he told TSN he feels like the puck hasn’t been on his stick enough this season. He said the issue has shown up especially in the neutral zone and the offensive zone.
“I feel like it's been a weird season in that way. I haven't had the puck nearly as much as I usually do in the neutral zone or offensive zone. I don't know exactly what that's coming down to, but it's something I'm trying to get sorted out.”
Nylander said he doesn’t know exactly why that’s happening, but he wants to get it sorted out as soon as possible.
His coach, Jim Hiller, sees it differently. Hiller didn’t exactly soften the message when asked about Nylander’s comments, saying the winger needs to do more work away from the puck if he wants more chances with it.
“We've talked a lot about him maybe coming back for the puck a little bit more; maybe spending less time in the neutral zone waiting for the puck and more time in our own zone trying to be the guy who is the breakout outlet and is carrying it.”
The line combinations haven’t helped either. On Tuesday, Nylander skated with Nick Paul and Dakota Joshua, a setup that doesn’t exactly scream puck-dominance for a player looking to feast on touches.
Paul has filled in as a solid second-line center in John Tavares’ absence, but he isn’t Tavares. Joshua also doesn’t bring the kind of offensive punch that would naturally boost Nylander’s puck time.
Normally, Nylander would be lining up with Tavares and Gavin McKenna. Once that’s back in place, the puck-touch problem may start to look a lot different.
For now, Hiller has to keep piecing together the right combinations with limited options. It’s a tricky job, and the Maple Leafs are under heavy pressure to get something working soon. With Tavares aiming to return soon, Toronto may finally have the pieces to fix the issue.
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Jim Hiller has been pressing the same broader point: the Leafs need more time in the offensive zone so they are not spending shifts under constant defensive stress. The players have echoed the importance of communication and trust in the system, while John Tavares continues to move in the right direction in his recovery and will be evaluated before any return is considered. [Read more 🡒]