The Toronto Maple Leafs took the William Nylander negotiations right down to the wire.
Since his debut this season with the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 6th, William Nylander is yet to score a goal.
To the casual observer, this would be a sign that Nylander has struggled mightily since his return to the lineup. That is, however, not the case.
Obviously after missing 28 games during a contract dispute, Nylander was going to need some time to adjust – to get back in NHL game shape, to get his timing back etc.
After his game the other night against Detroit, the last before the Christmas break, I think it’s safe to say that the real Nylander has finally made an appearance.
Nylander Ready to Rock
Not that he’s been bad – his team leading 57% possession rating makes that clear – but we’re talking about a guy who is one of the best players in the NHL when he’s on his game. He certainly hasn’t been that yet, but he’s getting close.
The game against the Red Wings was his best game yet, and a tantalizing taste of what Nylander can do. He was fast, he was carrying the puck with confidence and he was breaking into the offensive zone and out of the defensive zone while carrying the puck, which I think is his best skill, and the reason he is such a good player.
Nylander played about half his ice time with Brown and Kadri, and half with Matthews and Kapanen. It didn’t really matter who he played with, as he was a 70% player whose team had eight scoring chances for while he was on the ice vs only two against.
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The numbers aren’t there yet (just two assists in nine games) but his game has actually been pretty good. The Toronto Maple Leafs have had positive differentials in shot-attempts, shots and scoring chances while he’s been on the ice. (Everything is 5v5 unless noted).
You can complain about the numbers, but a zero percent shooting percentage (14 shots, including special teams) and a 5v5 on-ice shooting percentage of 4% are guaranteed to go up.
If Nazem Kadri’s pre-game ritual didn’t involve being bit by an actual snake, Nylander would probably be averaging an assist per game. Unfortunately, Kadri’s luck is so bad that the crossbar actually moves into the path of the puck when he shoots it.
The bottom line is this: Nylander has looked better in every game he’s been back, and the lack of points aren’t concerning at all. For one, because it takes a while to get back in to NHL form, and for another, because he’s had a bit of bad shooting luck.
Sunday was his best game yet, and he looks like he’s back to being his old self. The Toronto Maple Leafs just got that much better.
stats from naturalstattrick.com
and espn.com