TORONTO — Amid the chaos that’s surrounded the Toronto Maple Leafs for the past half-decade — the playoff collapses, the ousted coaches and general managers and team presidents, the departing stars — one thing’s remained constant: the steady evolution of William Nylander.
Once the most maligned member of Toronto’s young, high-flying core, No. 88 enters the 2025-26 campaign fresh off finishing second in the Rocket Richard race, last season marking the fourth in a row in which the winger’s posted a new career-high in either goals or points. And while the post-season’s been accurately pegged as something of an Achilles’ heel for these Maple Leafs, over the past half-decade Nylander’s been Toronto’s best bet when the stakes are highest — the 29-year-old has amassed the most goals and points of any Leaf in that span, overall and at even-strength.
Now, heading into a new season with the identity of his team in flux — a slew of new faces entering the lineup, and top-line mainstay Mitch Marner out of the picture — head coach Craig Berube is hoping his star winger takes another step in his continued evolution.
“He had a great year. We want him to have another great year obviously, production-wise. We need him to score goals and we need him to do the things that he does with his skill. For me, I think he can take a bigger step in a leadership role,” Berube said Saturday, standing outside the Ford Performance Centre in Etobicoke, Ont., after the Maple Leafs wrapped up their third day of training camp. “He’s been a player for a long time on this team. He’s been around these guys. We lost a player, so in my opinion Willy can step up and take a little bit of a bigger leadership role here.
“You know, step it up in the dressing room, on the bench. Just the voice, more than anything, for me. Leading with playing the right way. … Taking care of your teammates, helping them out in situations. Maybe they need a little kick in the ass. That’s all leadership for me. That’s what leadership’s about.”
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Berube’s shown an affinity for Nylander since taking the reins last summer, giving the mercurial winger the space to express the dynamic, creative aspects of his game out on the sheet, even if it means leaning too much on his all-world skill at times.
“He’s a highly skilled player. He’s always been that, and he’s always done certain things a certain way. That habit takes time to change. But for me, he bought in,” Berube said of Nylander. “And I believe he’s still bought in. Now, is he going to be perfect? No, he’s going to try things at times that maybe we don’t want him to. But like I’ve said before, I don’t want to take the stick right out of his hand either.”
John Tavares understands the complexities of Nylander’s game better than most, the veteran centreman having spent plenty of time with the smooth-skating Swede on his wing. The pair figure to spend plenty of time together this season, too.
“He’s a game-breaker. He’s a special player and we’re lucky to have him. I think, like any player, there’s evolution and growth, development, adversity, success along the way, and continuing to mature,” Tavares said. “I think you can consistently see that in Willy’s game. Not just on the ice, but the leadership aspects off the ice and the impact he’s making, in a lot of areas that not all of you see, is tremendous. His drive to be a great player, to be a difference-maker on a nightly basis, is as good as any player I’ve seen.
“I think we push each other really well. It’s a very close and healthy relationship. … We’re not shy to get on each other. It’s a great part of him — his ability to know when he hasn’t done his best, or there’s an area of his game that he’s got to be better at. To be able to have that dialogue and that understanding, and be able to thrive off that. That’s why I’ve always said I think he’s a great fit to play in a market like Toronto.”
It’s a crucial relationship heading into the new season, in their head coach’s eyes. With Marner gone, and Auston Matthews navigating a return to form following an injury-plagued 2024-25, the Maple Leafs will need even more from Nylander this season, on and off the ice. And when it comes to the latter, there may be no better mentor for No. 88 than the centreman who will be hopping over the boards with him.
“He’s a guy that sees everything. Talk about leadership — he’s a guy that takes care of his teammates,” Berube said of Tavares. “He knows what’s going on with a lot of the players, so he’s a guy that I lean on for sure, and have conversations with about this, that, what’s going on.
“He’s got a good feel for everything.”
Nick Robertson shines as Saturday scrimmage hero
The third day of camp saw the Maple Leafs take the ice for a Saturday-morning scrimmage, with Matthews and Nylander each leading a group into the tilt.
It was a fairly quiet one overall, the roster regulars more concerned with getting their timing back than trying to put pucks in the net. The session did bring some flashes of promise from newcomer Matias Maccelli, who lined up alongside Matthews and Matthew Knies in Marner’s former top-line spot, and some noticeable moments from Dakota Joshua too.
Nicolas Roy, Toronto’s other off-season acquisition, sat out the scrimmage while navigating a minor injury, as did defender Simon Benoit. Max Domi remains sidelined as well, though Berube said he expects the winger to be back on the ice Sunday.
The undeniable star of the Saturday session, though, was winger Nick Robertson, who broke the deadlock with a determined breakaway tally in the scrimmage’s final minutes, before registering the game’s only other goal with an empty-netter soon after.
“It was good, it was fun. I was happy to get in the scrimmage there and just be with the guys,” Robertson said after the skate. “It was good to just break off the rust before pre-season starts. … You’re just getting back in the flow of things. I don’t think there’s too much pressure or expectations — just go out there and work hard, get back in the flow of the game, get chemistry with your linemates.”
Returning to Toronto on a one-year, $1.83-million deal this season, Robertson heads into the new campaign with much the same mindset he took into the last one.
“It’s the same thing — just work hard,” the winger said. “It’s just execution on my end. I just want to work hard and do what I can to prove myself again. Just not overthink anything.”
The Maple Leafs’ young roster hopeful, Easton Cowan, had some moments of his own during Saturday’s scrimmage, using his speed to hound the opposition in the offensive zone, and looking focused on taking a more straightforward approach to these camp sessions overall.
“He just seems a lot more comfortable, I think, in what every day is going to bring,” Tavares said of what he’s seen from the 20-year-old during camp so far. “A much better understanding of just what training camp’s all about, of playing at the NHL level, and what the standard is, what the expectations are. Not trying to do too much, but just naturally let his talent and skill-set come out through his work ethic.”
“He looks bigger,” added Morgan Rielly. “I think for him, there’s no doubting what he’s capable of — he’s put that on display. Making the jump is challenging, no matter who you are. So as a teammate, you want to support him, and help everyone as we get going here. The guys that are trying to make the jump up to the next level, that can be nerve-wracking.
“It’s challenging for everyone. We just want to create an environment where people can be themselves, be their best, and just go out there and compete.”
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