William Nylander shining for Maple Leafs in playoffs: ‘Nothing gets to him’

Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (88) celebrates after scoring against the Florida Panthers in Toronto on Monday, May 5, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

FORT LAUDERDALE — Craig Berube joked earlier this week William Nylander has little time for his head coach.

“He doesn’t want me to talk to him,” the Toronto Maple Leafs bench boss said with a smirk of his star winger. “I probably should just leave him alone.”

Berube navigated his first campaign in Toronto getting to know a talented offensive core that had experienced plenty of regular-season success — and very little of it in the playoffs.

Nylander has been a consistent spring performer for the Leafs despite those bitter failures. He’s risen to new heights in the latest Stanley Cup chase.

The 29-year-old winger led the Leafs with six goals and seven assists for 13 points in eight contests ahead of Friday’s Game 3 against the Florida Panthers with Toronto up 2-0 in the second-round series.

Nylander, who sat third in playoff scoring behind only Mikko Rantanen and Connor McDavid before puck drop at Amerant Bank Arena, is also just the second Leafs player in the last 30 years — Alexander Mogilny in 2003 is the other — to register five goals over a three-game span in the post-season.

“Very tenacious,” Toronto captain Auston Matthews said. “His skill level and all that, everybody’s seen that, but his focus level has been really good.”

Nylander took a pass from Max Pacioretty off his skate and quickly kicked it to his stick at full speed to beat Sergei Bobrovsky in the Leafs’ 4-3 victory Tuesday that put the defending Cup champs in an 0-2 hole against their Atlantic Division rivals.

“Nothing gets to him,” said Berube, who made it clear he talks to Nylander all the time. “There’s no too big a stage for this guy. He thrives on this stuff. He looks forward to it and he wants to be in all those critical situations.

“When he smells something, he’s there.”

Leafs winger Matthew Knies said the way Nylander manipulates defenders is one of many attributes that sets the cool-as-ice Swede apart.

“As soon as he touches the puck you hear the crowd,” he said. “He makes incredible plays. We’ve just got to get the puck on his stick in good areas, and good things happen.”

Nylander, who’s on an eight-year, US$92-million contract that runs through 2031-32, finished with a career-high 44 goals in the regular season to tie for third overall in the NHL.

“He’s dynamic,” said Leafs centre Scott Laughton, acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers at March’s NHL trade deadline. “So good with the puck, his cutbacks, getting off guys in space. You see it in practice, too, when you’re going against him and trying to catch up.

“He’s been big for us. We’re going to need him to continue to be big.”

Berube has little doubt that will continue for a team in the second round for just the second time since 2004 — and looking to end a Cup drought dating back to 1967.

“A high-end player,” said the coach, who hoisted hockey’s Holy Grail with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. “I don’t think that he feels pressure or anything like that. He just plays.”

CHANGING SIDES

The Panthers acquired Brad Marchand from the Boston Bruins at the trade-deadline buzzer after facing the highly skilled, trash-talking antagonist in both the 2023 and 2024 playoffs.

Florida captain Aleksander Barkov said the 36-year-old has been a pleasure to suit up alongside after some tough post-season clashes.

“Those guys, when you play against them, you hate them,” Barkov said. “They get under your skin and they try everything they can to do that, and then at the same time, they’re unbelievable players.”

Marchand’s work ethic has stood out since he arrived in town.

“Now I really see why he’s been such an elite player for a long time,” Barkov said. “He does everything he can to be the best version of himself every single day.”

SKATE AWAY

Toronto has made a point of not engaging Florida after whistles — a game within the game where the likes of Marchand, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett often thrive.

Berube, who sits seventh all-time on the NHL’s penalty minutes list, said turning the other cheek — even though it’s repeatedly harped on — can be a challenge in the moment.

“But I think it’s fairly ingrained in our heads,” he said. “I really believe it’s highly important that it’s (play) hard between the whistles. The stuff after the whistle really doesn’t accomplish a whole lot.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 9, 2025.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press