Toronto Maple Leafs: 4 Storylines Missed with Season on Pause

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 25: Ilya Mikheyev #65 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his goal with teammate Auston Matthews #34 against the San Jose Sharks during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 25, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Sharks 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 25: Ilya Mikheyev #65 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his goal with teammate Auston Matthews #34 against the San Jose Sharks during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 25, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Sharks 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
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Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 30: William Nylander  . (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)

William Nylander’s Comeback Season

One of the biggest storylines throughout the campaign was just how well William Nylander was performing.

The contract stalemate and subsequent season last year left some doubt in his abilities to perform, but he silenced his critics in a big way.

Before the play was paused, Nylander had posted 31 goals, 28 assists, and 59 points across 68 games.

Had the regular season persisted, he would be on pace to record roughly 37 goals, 34 assists, and 71 points which would smash his previous career-high in scoring.

It’s those projected numbers that fans will be robbed of with the regular season likely to be scrapped. Nylander’s 2019-20 campaign went about as perfectly as he could have hoped for and there was another gear still in him to give even more.

While there is no denying that Nylander is a special talent and will continue to have a positive impact on the team’s performance, it is unclear if this is the peak of his prowess or if he’s just getting started.

It’s another question that will likely go unanswered for the foreseeable future as Nylander waits for his chance to prove his doubters wrong.

This season was a comeback of sorts for Nylander, but we will never know what else he could have done during the regular season.