Craig Berube singled out one Leaf after the Canucks win, and he didn’t hold back
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube seemed to be very happy to have William Nylander back as his post-game comments show he was impressed with his return game.
It's been a rough go for the Toronto Maple Leafs as of late. Coming into Vancouver riding a six-game losing streak, the team needed a jolt in the lineup and thankfully they had William Nylander back in the fold.
However they managed to squeak out the victory thanks to a shootout win with goals from William Nylander and Auston Matthews sealing the deal.
It was the former who got a lot of attention as he was finally back in the lineup after a two-week absence and only a bit after his controversial actions during a Maple Leafs game while he was in the press box.
Berube thankful that Nylander is back in the lineup
But for Craig Berube, none of that matters now that he's back in the lineup and he expressed as much in his post-game comments after Saturday's win.
Berube explained the addition of Nylander back in the fold was a great boost on the ice, but also added something that's been missing as of late -- a lot of noise on the bench:
I thought he was really good tonight. He skated extremely well, competed, and created offense. Overall, hearing him on the bench talking, he brings leadership and things like that. I thought he elevated everybody on the team, to be honest with you.
To hear Berube praise Nylander isn't anything new, but the fact that he was gushing about everything from effort level, offense, communication, and leadership; he pulled the team together and got them a victory.
Toronto needs William Nylander in order to be a complete team
Nylander still leads the Maple Leafs in points with 48 despite missing 16 games this year with various injuries, and is going to be a huge part of Team Sweden's gold medal aspirations during the 2026 Milan Olympics.
It was not an easy night for Toronto and they were peppering the Canucks but couldn't get anything by third-stringer Nikita Tolopilo, who stopped 39 of 41 shots and frustrated the Maple Leafs all night.
But it shows a bigger picture that often goes understated. As much criticism as Nylander gets at times (and should), he is no doubt a huge piece of the lineup and the locker room morale.
Him being back in the fold might not save the season, but it's at least going to make things a little less painful and we can all hope that this type of effort isn't once in a blue moon.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 2|1591 ANSWERS Craig Berube singled out one Leaf after the Canucks win, and he didn’t hold back Do you think William Nylander has been the Maple Leafs' best player this year? | ||
| Yes | 1212 | 76.2 % |
| No | 379 | 23.8 % |
| List of polls | ||