‘If It Keeps Going Another Month, Maybe We’d Be In A Different Mood’: William Nylander Plays It Cool As Leafs Deal With Slump
William Nylander maintained a cool composure when speaking to the media on Monday. The Toronto Maple Leafs forward was asked about the current mood of the team amid a five-game losing streak—the longest since April of 2021.
“I mean we’re losing but I think we’re feeling positive and hopefully trending in the right direction,” Nylander said. “If this keeps going another month then maybe we’d be in a different mood,” he added with a bit of a laugh.
There’s no question that Nylander, like many of the Leafs, is feeling the effects of the slump. It was even weird to see Nylander come out in a regular shirt instead of his regular “tarps off” look—a signature sign when things have been going well.
These are difficult times in Leafs land. In addition to the losing streak, the Leafs are dealing with key injuries in all positions , with Auston Matthews’ lower-body ailment headlining the list.
The lineup the Leafs dress on Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues will be significantly depleted: three of their top-four centers are missing, two of their top-four defensemen are out, and Anthony Stolarz is still on the shelf with an upper-body injury.
That’s where stars like Nylander are expected to carry the load and demonstrate some of the leadership qualities that have earned him wearing the ‘A’ in games as of late.
From an individual standpoint, Nylander is having a career-big season, leading the team with 26 points and sitting in a four-way tie for the NHL lead in that category heading into Monday’s games. He’ll continue to reprise his role on the top line with Nick Robertson and John Tavares when the Leafs host the struggling St. Louis Blues at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.
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