The Call is Coming from Inside the House: Why William Nylander’s Coach Clashes Keep Haunting the Maple Leafs
William Nylander is currently on pace for the best statistical season of his NHL career. Through 17 games, Nylander has already racked up 10 goals and 11 assists, putting him on a very comfortable trajectory for his first 100-point season.
So, you'd think everything would be coming up roses in Toronto, right? Not quite.
Despite the offensive heater, Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Jim Hiller has made it abundantly clear that he needs a lot more from his star winger.
Even Nylander himself recently admitted to TSN that things have felt slightly off this season, despite his undeniable success on the stat sheet.
“I feel like it’s been a weird season in that way. I haven’t had the puck nearly as much as I usually do in the neutral zone or offensive zone. I don’t know exactly what that’s coming down to, but it’s something I’m trying to get sorted out.”
While it should be considered a positive that Nylander is self-aware enough to recognize he can impact the Leafs more consistently, the problem is that this isn't a new issue. After Nylander's comments, Hiller had a pretty blunt, public response about how the winger could change his fortunes.
“Maybe spend less time in the neutral zone waiting for the puck, and more time in our own zone trying to be the breakout outlet who can carry it.”
Ouch. While everything Hiller said is absolutely true, what is becoming a deeply concerning trend is that almost every single Head Coach in Toronto has eventually had a highly publicized issue with William Nylander.
A Documented History of Coach vs. Player
These issues aren't a recent development. They date all the way back to Mike Babcock's time behind the bench. Babcock spent years publicly challenging Nylander to become a more complete player, famously demanding that he learn to be "physical on offense" by checking to get the puck back instead of just waiting for it to arrive on his tape.
After Babcock was replaced by Sheldon Keefe, you'd think the player-coach relationship would have smoothed out. Instead, things reportedly reached a boiling point during the filming of the Maple Leafs' season of All or Nothing for Amazon Prime. The locker-room argument between the two was so heated that the Leafs, the NHLPA, and William Nylander's agent all fought aggressively to have the footage removed from the final release to protect his image.
Keefe’s frustrations didn't end there. Who could forget the March 2024 benching against the Rangers? Keefe stapled Nylander to the bench for an entire period, publicly calling him out post-game by stating Nylander was "purposely stepping outside of the structure of the system" just to cheat for offense.
Then came Craig Berube. Last year, with the season already veering off the rails, Nylander had a well documented clash with Berube. The incident occurred at practice when Berube felt Nylander's effort wasn't up to a standard, leading to the frustrated forward aggressively firing a puck during the team's powerplay drill. This ultimately led to Berube calling Nylander a ‘dick’ as tensions boiled over.
The Underlying Numbers Tell the Truth
While Nylander is a massive fan favorite and possesses the elite ability to break open a game with a single rush, at what point is it time for a serious conversation? At what point do Nylander's defensive antics and stubborn habits outweigh the highlight-reel goals?
On the surface, the plus/minus looks great. This year, Nylander has been on the ice for 33 goals for and only 20 against. But that number changes drastically when you strip away his lethal powerplay time.
Let's dig into the 5-on-5 stats:
Even-Strength Goals: Nylander has been on the ice for only 18 goals for and 19 against.
Offensive Zone Starts: Nylander begins 62.7% of his shifts in the offensive zone.
Scoring Chances: Despite that massive zone start shelter, he has been on the ice for 44 more chances against than chances for.
How is a player who is so heavily sheltered and offensively inclined finding himself spending significant time pinned in his own zone?
Which brings us right back to Hiller's comment. When the game gets difficult, and in situations where he's unable to cheat for offense, Nylander has struggled. While Auston Matthews has fully committed to a 200-foot game and evolved his defensive responsibilities, Nylander seems perfectly content to stay stuck in his ways.
Time to Look in the Mirror
Now, I'm not saying that the Leafs need to cut and run from number 88. But it was widely reported that during the recent front office hiring of Leafs legend Mats Sundin, there was a massive internal emphasis on providing Nylander with some dedicated, Swedish mentorship to rein in his habits.
If a franchise icon like Sundin can't get him to commit to a more serious approach and commitment to a 200 foot game, it's highly likely that this ongoing trend of "coach versus player" is going to end anytime soon.
It's time for William Nylander to take a massive step forward in leadership. When you’ve frustrated five different coaches over the course of your NHL career, maybe it's time to stop wondering where the puck is, start looking inward, and realize the call is coming from inside the house.