The Toronto Maple Leafs fired assistant coach Marc Savard back on December 22nd, and the media finally heard from one of the players regarding this move. Following a 6-3 win over the Penguins on Tuesday night, William Nylander spoke to the media, and the answer he gave is one many wouldn't expect.
The Maple Leafs' power play has been terrible this season, clicking at a mere 13%. This is good for last in the NHL. This has been shocking, as it has been a strength of the Leafs in past years. The story hasn't been the same, as it has consistently been a downfall night after night. The previous three-game round trip before Savard's firing, the Leafs went 0-10 on the man advantage and finished the road trip 0-3-0. Yes, Savard's responsibility is the power play, and he has to take a great deal of blame for their performance; however, it is not solely his responsibility. The Maple Leafs' stars have struggled to score and play the way everyone expects.
William Nylander's shocking comments
William Nylander, following their win Tuesday night, was asked about Savard's firing, and Nylander responded with, "He's a great guy, sad to see him go. But I mean, we've been struggling. So In guess that's the first step to make a change for the team."
Although Nylander is not wrong in mentioning that the Leafs have struggled on the power play this season, and Savard hasn't done the best job, what has upset a lot of Leaf fans is the lack of accountability and the need for the players to be better.
The Leafs fired Marc Savard this week after Toronto’s power play sat dead last. Auston Matthews and William Nylander yesterday took responsibility, saying they felt like they let him down.
— Sid Seixeiro (@Sid_Seixeiro) December 24, 2025
Just kidding.
Matthews, team captain, didn’t speak after the game. Nylander said this… pic.twitter.com/zruKRAw61c
Going forward
The Maple Leafs currently sit dead last in the Atlantic Division. The Leafs as a whole, from Brad Treliving to Craig Berube to all the players, need to better from this point forward. Everyone needs to be held accountable, as they can't afford to waste time. The power play struggles can't just be blamed on Marc Savard; the players will need to be better going forward, and we will truly see if it was Savard's fault or not.
The Maple Leafs could get back into the playoff picture if they dig deep and play like the team we know they can be. The Maple Leafs will face off against the Ottawa Senators in the Battle of Ontario on Saturday night. It will be the first time the two teams have faced off since the playoffs last season.