Just 48 seconds into the season, William Nylander opened the scoring, giving Leafs fans exactly what they had been waiting months to hear.
It’s been a long offseason in Toronto after the Leafs endured one of their worst seasons in a decade. But if there’s one thing that can immediately bring some excitement back to the fanbase, it’s that familiar goal horn, and Nylander wasted almost no time setting it off.
The goal itself was a thing of beauty. Nylander caught reigning Selke Trophy winner Nick Suzuki flat-footed at the blue line with a nifty move before flying down the right side. From there, he fired a perfect shot past Jakub Dobeš and into the back of the net.
NYLANDER SNIPE TO GIVE THE LEAFS THE LEAD 48 TICKS IN OH MY 😱🚨 pic.twitter.com/66pbeKC0cr
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) September 29, 2026
Nobody should really be surprised that Nylander was the one to score first.
He led the Leafs in scoring last season and has established himself as a perennial 30-goal threat. If Toronto is going to turn things around this season, they’re going to need their stars to lead the way and Nylander getting on the board just 48 seconds in is certainly an encouraging start.
It’s only one goal, but after such a frustrating 2026 season, Leafs fans will gladly take it.
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