As the Toronto Maple Leafs keep on piling up some unfortunate losses, people are looking for who to blame and one star winger's name is coming up fairly often.
While it's not like the Leafs have a built-in Stanley Cup contender with the roster they have put together, there is still some expectation for their star players to perform and consistent enough that they don't need to rely on depth talent coming up big in key moments. Unfortunately, winger William Nylander has been a player who has not been playing as well as he could over this last stretch of games.
The points are there -- he has 10 goals and 21 points in 17 games this season, and five points in his last five games -- but the overall impactful play that can drive scoring chances in the Leafs' favour, has been lacking.
Jim Hiller reflects on Nylander's overall play, suggests something else
Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller was asked about Nylander after the winger himself said it has been a weird season for him and how he has the production but he doesn't have the puck as much as he's used to.
So, what can Nylander do to get the puck more? Hiller has a suggestion.
"I would agree with him. That’s been a constant conversation with Willy and me. Certainly, the point production is there, but I’m used to seeing him back in the day where he would carry the puck through the neutral zone, take people wide, turn up, and find a secondary option. He just hasn’t had a lot of those looks," Hiller said after Wednesday's practice.
"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."
That seems like a big ask for someone like Nylander.
While he is a truly special talent and periodically has us asking if he's the greatest winger on planet Earth every single season, Nylander has never been known to put in the hard work when it comes to breaking the puck out. We wouldn't say he has cheated for his offense, but he's certainly hungry to rush up the ice and get a look.
Hiller is trying to get the 30-year-old to play some more responsible, team-driven hockey and that hasn't really been Nylander's calling card through his 767 career games. Nylander can be certainly capable of scooping back deeper in his own zone and supporting his defenders and center more, but that might also take away from what makes him special and might hinder him from scoring as many goals as he can.
Throughout the last week, Nylander has been noticeable in a bad way. He doesn't feel as active anymore, even when it comes to the offensive side of his game. Maybe taking a step back and just being more of a supportive puckmover rather than having to be The Scorer on his line could help.
Nylander will still have Nick Paul as his centerman on Saturday when the Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens, but a returning John Tavares is projected to be on the other side. That could also be a little bit of an upgrade and a boost to the team and to Nylander himself.
Add us as a preferred source on Google