William Nylander's return for Leafs was perfect in every way

William Nylander looked as if he didn't miss a beat after returning from injury. Nylander missed the last six games with a lower-body injury. During his return, he led the Maple Leafs with a three-point performance in a dominating 5-0 win over the Canucks. Nylander was the driving force for the Maple Leafs on Saturday night. With Nylander's strong performance, he extends the Maple Leafs point streak to nine games.

Offense runs through Nylander

William Nylander has been the Maple Leafs' best forward for the majority of this season. Other than a slow December, Nylander has produced on a nightly basis, and tonight just reassured how important he is to the Maple Leafs' lineup. Nylander was involved early and remained a factor throughout the game, generating offence and creating chances whenever he had the puck. For a player coming off an absence, it was an encouraging sign to see him immediately produce at a high level.

Nylander is the Maple Leafs leading scorer with 44 points in 34 games played. Many Leafs fans were skeptical about where Nylander would fit within the Leafs' lineup, as the team looked to have found a groove, but he was the driving force of the second line alongside John Tavares and Matias Maccelli. The trio combined for five points, including three goals. The offence went through Nylander during their dominating win. His ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone and create offence on his own makes him difficult to defend, especially when he’s confident.

A key piece returning at the right time

The Maple Leafs will look to rely on Nylander to carry a heavy load of the offence now that he is back in the lineup. Even though the Maple Leafs have been playing well as of late, they remain one point out of the final Wild Card spot. Nylander’s performance against the Canucks was a reminder of his value. When he’s available and confident, he’s one of Toronto’s most reliable offensive weapons. If this level of play continues, his return could provide a much-needed boost as the season moves forward.