William Nylander: 'He's One of the Most Underrated Players in the League' - and You Can't Help but Think Trade

Often considered one of the best players in the league, William Nylander has no shortage of fans, teammates, and media personalities who tend to gush about his goal-scoring ability and how he has become a much more complete player since being drafted.

But he isn't afraid to give some credit where it's due, and while he is undoubtedly one of the top players in the NHL, there are several others who tend to not get their flowers even though they should.

One of those players is Nick Schmaltz, who has quietly been one of the more consistent players over the last few seasons, and is enjoying a fantastic 2025-26 with 18 points in 14 games (8 goals, 10 assists) and helping Utah to a very surprising 9-5-0 start.

Nylander had the chance to see Schmaltz take the ice when the two faced off on Wednesday night, and with the Maple Leafs coming away with the win, it was Willy Styles who came out on top.

Though he wasn't afraid to give Schmaltz kudos for his hot start, and in a recent interview with The Athletic, it sounds like perhaps he would like to see the veteran forward lacing it up with the blue and white:

Nylander is no stranger to Schmaltz's talents, as the two played together in Chicago during both men's AAA season in 2010, where they also were aided by fellow NHLer Christian Dvorak:

You often don't hear about Schmaltz, whether that be due to a lack of name recognition or the fact he has been buried in Arizona (now Utah) and the scarce attention to hockey over there meant that his performances went under the radar.

But this is a player who has 87 goals and 241 points over the last four seasons, including back to back 60+ point seasons in 2023-24 and 2024-25. That's production you don't see consistently but to do it in relative obscurity is even more impressive.

That being said, it sounds like Nylander would love to have him back in the fold on his side, and with his pending free agency and minimal contract discussions, there's a chance Toronto might be willing to pull the trigger.

What that will cost them is unknown and they can't risk going too expensive and dangling Easton Cowan, but they do have some intriguing pieces that may entice Utah.

Schmaltz admitted that he would love to get back to playing in the playoffs, and minus one stint as a rookie, he's yet to taste the postseason.

What better way to do so, than to come in and help give Toronto a genuine shot at winning the Stanley Cup, and be the unsung hero that deservedly gets his flowers.