TORONTO – After one other 40-goal season for the third yr in a row, William Nylander has been in a position to cement himself as one of many NHL’s elite offensive forwards.
Nylander, who’s at the moment second in objective scoring this season, has been in a position to document 77 factors in 71 video games, and with 11 left to be performed, he’ll solely have the ability to add to his complete.
“Simply making an attempt to do what I’m paid to do, that’s it,” Nylander stated when requested about eclipsing the 40-goal mark for the third straight yr.
Even in a high-offensive league, solely two gamers have been in a position to rating 40-plus objectives in every of the final three seasons, these being Edmonton Oilers ahead Leon Draisaitl, and also you guessed it, Nylander.
Nylander hit the mark this Tuesday, the place he recorded two objectives and two assists in a blowout win towards the Philadelphia Flyers.
Particularly in a season the place Auston Matthews has not been constantly wholesome, Nylander has been in a position to step up and carry the burden that has been distributed to him, being a key supply for the Leafs offensive manufacturing.
“He’s bought nice potential, everyone knows that. Nice shot, he does quite a lot of good issues, he’s very gifted,” Leafs head coach Craig Berube stated after a 4-point night time towards the Flyers.
Philadelphia Flyers Goalie Brian Elliott #37, William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Shayne Gostisbehere #53 of the Philadelphia Flyers
Though Nylander is considered as one of many league’s high offensive threats, it wasn’t at all times sunshine and rainbows for the Swedish worldwide.
Early in his profession, Nylander would have the ability to produce offensively, however nowhere close to the extent he’s at now, beginning his profession with two 61-point seasons in his first two years, eclipsing across the 20-goal mark.
Nylander’s expertise had at all times been on show, and for a younger participant studying the sport within the NHL, he was in a position to forecast star energy sooner or later, however indicators of inconsistencies can be a serious level of dialog.
Within the 2018-19 season, Nylander had solely performed the final 54 video games on account of an unresolved contract negotiation that spilled into the yr.
Nylander, who had held out to finally signal a six-year $6.9 million deal, solely recorded 7 objectives for 27 factors, trying just like the participant of the previous that confirmed a lot potential had vanished into skinny air.
Nylander would reply in 2019-20, scoring 31 objectives, and will have added to that complete, however because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was reduce brief to solely 68 video games.
Even with Nylander’s play enhancing annually since his contract extension, the excessive cap hit of $6.9 million and the lingering inconsistencies would have many followers saying, “He’s lazy” or “he doesn’t care sufficient” with reference to his recreation and “he’s overpaid” when speaking about his contract.
Even with the town of Toronto calling for his head, Nylander confirmed up within the 2020-21 playoffs, the place he recorded 5 objectives and eight factors in seven video games, finally shedding within the first spherical however being one of many solely Leafs gamers to indicate up in that sequence.
After this, Nylander would solely transfer up within the NHL rankings, not trying again.
In his subsequent three seasons, Nylander would end with 80-plus factors, all being over a 30-goal scorer, with the final two of these years hitting the 40-goal mark.
Final yr, Nylander had his present greatest season within the NHL, ending with 98 factors in 82 video games, incomes an eight-year extension price $11.5 million, making him a lifelong Maple Leaf, flipping the script of the followers’ interpretations on his early days within the league.
Including to his regular-season success, Nylander is now checked out as a vibrant spot come playoff time, even with the group struggling to discover a strategy to get out of the primary spherical. 
Nylander recorded all three objectives within the final two video games of the sequence towards the Boston Bruins final yr, trying to proceed his scoring methods into this yr’s playoffs.
After one other constructive season that may solely enhance with 11 video games left, the sky is the restrict for quantity 88 within the Blue-and-White.
