William Nylander couldn't finish his sentence when asked if the Maple Leafs' season is a one-off
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Looking ahead to Tuesday night's game against Montreal, William Nylander and the Maple Leafs are looking to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Nylander was asked ahead of Tuesday's game about his feelings towards the Maple Leafs' recent slump and whether or not this was something that could drag on or simply a one-off. He didn't really reassure fans though.
Nylander was asked directly and his answer trailed off
Nylander was taken aback though he tried to look at the positives going forward:
I mean, I sure hope that's the case, for sure. Otherwise... yeah.
The added 'hope' means that with the current group, their chances are less likely than they had anticipated.
It's not the attitude you want your newly-extended superstar to have. Toronto has committed $11.5-million until 2032 for Nylander, and if he's already cautious in year two of an eight-year deal that's not a good sign for a team without a clear direction.
Matthews called it a blip, Nylander couldn't even commit to that
Auston Matthews contradicted Nylander in the sense that he was a lot more confident in his group, and his comments on Monday regarding Toronto's chances of turning it around next year shows he has more faith, and you want that from your captain.
But he knows that changes are on the horizon, and the core group that is sticking around like Jake McCabe, Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies are all still top contributors who with the right pieces can thrive once again.
Nylander seems a lot more cautious and would prefer to see those changes happen first before he can reevaluate where the team is headed, and it might take until the season starts until he gets a real idea of how the team is structured in 2026-27.
What Nylander's honesty means for his future in Toronto
He's committed though, and while nobody had the foresight to know Toronto would be sitting in the basement this season, these seasons do tend to happen.
The Boston Bruins went from a last-place finish in 2024-25 to fighting for a playoff spot and sitting only three points out of third-place in the Atlantic, so these turnarounds exist.
However it does bring to light a bit of another issue. If Toronto can't convince their superstar forward to buy into things despite a down season, how can they lure any free agents over?
Who would want to commit potentially three or four years to losing, especially when other teams are not only closer to the playoffs but can offer a lot more money?
It has to be a productive offseason otherwise Nylander's confidence might reach a point where he's not sure if he wants to stick around through his prime years and never getting to win.
With him signed until 2032, that's a long time to hope.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Maple Leafs rejected Montreal Canadiens' trade offer for Matthew Knies: 'It's a business'
Maple Leafs rejected Montreal Canadiens' trade offer for Matthew Knies: 'It's a business'
Previously on Hockey Patrol
| POLL | ||
MARS 10|898 ANSWERS William Nylander couldn't finish his sentence when asked if the Maple Leafs' season is a one-off Does William Nylander's comments give you hope that Toronto will turn it around? | ||
| Yes | 349 | 38.9 % |
| No | 549 | 61.1 % |
| List of polls | ||