William Nylander seems to have found another level to his game this season; here's why he's been so successful
William Nylander has to be one of the most widely criticized Leafs since being drafted by the Buds with the 8th overall pick back in 2014. Over the years, he had drawn the ire of fans by seemingly quitting on plays and putting forth lackluster back-checking efforts, which had people questioning his work ethic and commitment to winning. My, oh my - how things have changed.
Nylander has very arguably been the Leafs' most consistent player this season and you could also make an argument that he's been the team's MVP through 40 games thus far. Nylander is the team's leading goal scorer, having found the back of the net 22 times this season and his 45 points through 40 games is 3rd on the team, behind only Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, who sit a mere 1 point ahead with 46 points each. Nylander's increase in goal and point production isn't the reason why he's had so much success this season. It's the things he's been doing to create those chances that have made all of the difference.
This season, Nylander has shown tremendous improvement in his transition defense and in winning puck battles. Coming away with contested pucks has allowed the Leafs to maintain possession in the offensive zone and, as we all know, more offensive zone time often leads to more goals for.
Just how vast have the improvements been for Nylander this season? Vast. From last year to this year, Nylander has improved 219 spots in stick checks, sitting 267th in that category last season and now improving to 48th in the league this season. He has also moved up 130 spots in blocked passes, going from 197th last year to 67th this year. Perhaps the most impressive improvement, though, is his willingness to battle for pucks. Last season, Nylander sat 230th in that category. This season, he sits 163rd. It may not be the largest variance, but it directly correlates to his uptick in productivity. Furthermore, it goes to show how hard Willy has been working this season in comparison to years past.
Nylander is one of the reasons why this team just feels different this year. This team feels different because they are different this year. The changes in Nylander's are just one example. We can also look at how Matthews is cheating less on offense and putting such a strong emphasis on reliable two-way play. He has openly admitted that individual stats don't mean nearly as much to him as winning. Another major difference is how deep this team is on defense now. The team has dressed 12 different defensemen at the NHL level this year and have shown the ability to win with a number of different looks on the blueline.
Honestly, this team is better equipped now to go on a run than they have been in previous seasons. The vast improvements in Nylander's overall game is going to help this team a lot when the games really begin to matter in the spring and summer.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 8 | 301 ANSWERS William Nylander seems to have found another level to his game this season; here's why he's been so successful How impressed have you been with William Nylander this season? | ||
| He's been impressive | 181 | 60.1 % |
| I'm blown away by his overall game | 49 | 16.3 % |
| About what I expected | 54 | 17.9 % |
| Not overly impressed | 17 | 5.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
