Leafs’ Nylander working toward better consistency
TORONTO We can’t be sure what Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock might have written on his Christmas wish list, but it wouldn’t have been surprising to see the word consistency on the same line with the name of William Nylander.
Now that Auston Matthews is back, Nylander should be able to settle in well on the wing.
There were prolonged glimpses of Nylander’s capabilities during the Leafs’ win in New York against the Rangers on Saturday night, and the line of Matthews between Nylander and Zach Hyman will be given every opportunity to prove it can be a force each time out.
The potential is there, and it hinges to an extent on Nylander and his interest in making it work. There’s never a question about the work ethic Matthews and Hyman bring every night. In that regard, Nylander remains a work in progress.
After the win against the Rangers, Matthews touched on what helps make Nylander effective.
“He is so strong,” Matthews said. “I think that an underrated part of his game is that he has a really strong lower half and skates so well, he is elusive and it’s tough to hit him. When he is skating and turning and cutting back, it’s tough to stop him.”
The compete level of his players is at the top of Babcock’s wish list every night, and the coach was pleased with Nylander’s work on Matthews’ goal in New York.
“I really liked it,” Babcock said. “The challenge for (Nylander) is not the skill stuff in the open ice, it’s in the tight quarters. He made a really good play and a really good battle.
“That’s an important line for us. When you get Matthews back what you do is … Hyman was what he was and Willie is a much better winger than he is a centre at this point in his career.”
There’s no arguing that Nylander can find a higher gear once the Leafs resume play on Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes.
With 25 points in 37 games, Nylander is on pace for 55. That would put him shy of last season’s total, when he had 61 points in 81 games in his first full season in the NHL.
Nylander’s next point will be the 100th in the NHL.
Matthews was headed home to Phoenix from New York for the break. Since the Leafs’ first gathering after the break will be when they practise on Wednesday afternoon in the Phoenix area, it could be the first chance in a while Matthews’ parents will have to drop him off at the rink for hockey ... Morgan Rielly on Matthews, who had two points versus the Rangers: “Looked like his usual self, has not skipped a beat. He worked hard to get healthy. There was never a doubt, but he played outstanding.”