Toronto Maple Leafs: William Nylander Should Have Been an NHL All-Star

I mentioned that the NHL All-Star game is a joke a few weeks ago, but I need to bring up that fact again, because Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander isn’t on the team.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a top-five team in the NHL and need more representation at the All-Star Game this year, but the criteria stinks and that’s not going to happen.

I know the NHL All-Star doesn’t matter and it’s just for extra revenue and for kids, but it makes me so angry. I shouldn’t be this upset over something that is irrelevant but it drives me nuts that not all of the NHL’s best players are represented in a game that’s supposed to have the best players.

Can we abolish the division’s and the 3-on-3 tournament for the NHL All-Star Game and just go back to East vs. West?

Not only that, but can we please get rid of the rule that says every NHL market needs to have an All-Star? If you’re the fastest kid at your school, it doesn’t mean you should get an automatic bid to the Olympics. The best people should be rewarded and William Nylander should be in the game.

William Nylander Should Be an NHL All-Star

With 24 goals and 52 points, Nylander is having one of his best years as a Maple Leaf. His skill has been on full-display and he would be the type of player to light up an NHL All-Star Game if given that opportunity.

However, thanks to the terrible system that the NHL has created, Nylander will be watching the game from home, but in all reality, will probably get the last laugh by sitting on a beach somewhere while his two teammates work.

As a player, it’s a catch-22. You want the recognition of being an All-Star, but you’d also welcome the time-off to be able to rest, recover and do whatever you need to do to get ready for the sprint to the playoffs.

Nylander is 15th in the NHL in goals and 19th in points thus far. As a top-20 player in both categories, that should be more than enough to be named to the team, especially because he’s doing it all on an amazing team too.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the biggest brand in hockey and more Leafs equals more dollars, as Leafs fans everywhere will buy any merchandise with a Leafs logo on it.

In my opinion, Nylander has been the team’s most dynamic forward this year and should’ve been rewarded for it. I know Marner had the long-point streak and Matthews is still scoring at a great pace, but Nylander has been the most consistent.

I’m sure the Toronto Maple Leafs are happy that one of their top-players can rest but Nylander should be angry about the decision. He’s deserving of this opportunity but once again the NHL has continued to find a way to tarnish it’s league and not allow the best players to be in a game that’s supposed to have the best players.