The William Nylander Experience Is Wearing on One Analyst

Nothing sums up William Nylander quite like the last two nights. Monday, on the first night of a back-to-back in Colorado against the powerhouse Avalanche, he looked tremendous, tallying two points, including the overtime winner. Then, just 24 hours later in Utah against the Mammoth, it was a different story: Nylander was pointless and a -4 in a 6-1 blowout loss.

Back-to-back games in Colorado and Utah are tough on anyone, but Maple Leafs fans are all too familiar with Nylander’s rope-a-dope act of inconsistent effort. For one analyst, it remains extremely frustrating to watch, even all of these years later.

TSN’s Jeff O’Neill spoke about Nylander following the win over Colorado, questioning why the superstar winger can’t bring that same level of effort and intensity every night, as most of the other best players around the league often do.

O’Neill said:

“You’re making $11.5 million a year or whatever the h--- he’s making, you signed a $92 million contract—can’t that be your bare minimum? I get it, you’re immensely talented. You can shoot the puck and do things that very few people in the world can do. But isn’t that… like, you owe your teammates that? You owe the organization that—to bust your a-- every night. And if you do that, you’re clearly one of the best players in the world… So why do we have to search for that? Why do you need Craig Berube pulling his hair out, ripping his tie off, watching you play? That should never be the case. But we’re talking 10 years in, so… who knows,”

The 29-year-old Nylander leads the Maple Leafs in scoring with 46 points (16 goals, 30 assists) in just 36 games played this season. He’s in year two of the aforementioned eight-year, $92 million extension he signed with the Maple Leafs back in 2024.

This Is Just Who William Nylander Is

As O’Neill points out, we are now more than 10 years into Nylander’s NHL career, and at this stage, you’re not going to change who he is and how he plays. It’s reminiscent of Phil Kessel, which Leafs Nation, of course, also got to witness firsthand.

His skill set is among the best in the world, but his effort doesn’t always match it. As a result, some nights leave both fans—and Craig Berube—pulling their hair out.