When people talk about the “face of the franchise," they’re usually talking about more than just who scores the most goals. They mean the player whose identity defines the team, the one fans associate with the logo before anyone else.
For the Toronto Maple Leafs, that title has belonged to Auston Matthews for most of the last decade. But over the last few seasons, William Nylander has built such a strong case that it’s fair to ask if the Leafs now have more than one franchise face or if Nylander has actually taken over that role without everyone realizing it.
Nylander’s evolution into a superstar
Nylander’s rise hasn’t been sudden, but it has been undeniable. After years of being viewed as a complementary star behind Matthews and Mitch Marner, he’s elevated himself into one of the NHL’s most dynamic and consistent offensive threats. His 2023-24 season was the breakthrough that pushed him into this conversation: 40 goals, 98 points, and all 82 games played. That performance wasn’t just a career-high year; it was elite production across the league. It cemented him as a player who drives play, scores in big moments, and shows up every single night. And he hasn’t slowed down. Through the 2024-25 season, he has built a career total of 270 goals and 367 assists for 637 points in 700 regular-season games, numbers that now place him inside the top 10 in Maple Leafs franchise history across goals, assists, and points.
Rising in the moments that matter
If being the face of a franchise is about stepping up when the lights are brightest, Nylander has made that part of his identity, too. In the 2024-25 postseason, he led Toronto in scoring with 15 points in 13 games. It was Nylander who opened the scoring in one of the games with a goal just 33 seconds in, one of the fastest in franchise playoff history. There’s a calmness to him during those moments, a confidence that seems to rise exactly when the team needs someone to grab the moment. Even Craig Berube praised him during the playoffs, saying nothing seems to rattle him. That kind of presence is crucial in a market as competitive as Toronto.
A long-term bet from the organization
The Leafs clearly agree, because the organization made one of the strongest statements possible when they signed him to an eight-year, $92 million extension.
That contract wasn’t just a reward; it was an investment in who they believe he is going to be for this franchise long-term. It’s the kind of deal teams give players they want to build around, players they wish to market, players they know represent them on and off the ice.
The reality: two franchise faces
But even with all that, Matthews still exists. And that matters. Matthews has already hit the 400-goal mark in his Toronto career, won multiple Rocket Richards, and now wears the “C.” He’s a generational center, a position that naturally draws more of the spotlight. If there is one singular face of the Maple Leafs, it’s still him, and that’s not a knock on Nylander whatsoever.
The more accurate truth is that the Maple Leafs don’t have one face anymore. They have two. Matthews is the heartbeat, but Nylander is the rising force who has carved out his own identity as a franchise-defining player. Whether he’s the face depends on who you ask, but he has absolutely become part of the franchise’s identity in a way that can’t be denied anymore.