Maple Leafs Make a Pivotal Decision on the Powerplay Involving William Nylander
The Toronto Maple Leafs powerplay has struggled again after recovering from a brutal start, and William Nylander has found himself a crucial piece of the whole thing.
Given how much of a rollercoaster season it's been for the Maple Leafs, one consistent this season has been William Nylander. Leading the team in goals and being a key part in Toronto's success, he's shown exactly why Toronto committed to a long-term deal with him.
Though the powerplay has struggled in recent games, they need a bit of a kickstart and they're looking to Nylander for help. According to David Alter on X, the Leafs powerplay units have an asterisk attached to it by way of their Swedish superstar.
William Nylander's Increased Responsibilities
When Nylander asked for more ice time earlier in the year, many wondered if it would be too much for him to handle.
Given he stayed out on the ice for nearly five minutes for a shift and looked able to go another two was a huge sign of his confidence and ability to keep up with the league's best.
Always mobile on the ice, Nylander doesn't give up regardless if he's in his own zone or the opponent's. The trust Craig Berube has in him to be able to stay out for both units and still contribute grows every game.
He has seven of Toronto's powerplay goals, and assisted on 10 more. It doesn't matter who Berube throws out with Nylander, he gives the team the ability to score on the man advantage.
For the second unit he could slide in for Max Pacioretty if they wanted to go with a smaller and speedier unit, or take out Nick Robertson and bring in Nylander to add the scoring while Pacioretty and McMann bring the bodies to give him space.
Toronto's success depends on Nylander's special teams performance, and especially given Auston Matthews' mysterious timeline for his return, it's vital more than ever the team has the Swede to fall back on.
It's been a whirlwind of a season for the Maple Leafs, but if they can take solace in one thing, it's that William Nylander has proven he is elite and worthy of the newfound responsibility handed to him by his head coach.
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Do you think it's a good or bad idea for the Maple Leafs to keep William Nylander on both PP units? | ||
