William Nylander's future in Toronto in jeopardy after concerning comments
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
William Nylander dropping hints about his future under Craig Berube is the last thing the Maple Leafs need right now.
Toronto is staring down a reality nobody expected back in training camp. Missing the postseason entirely is an absolute disaster for this hockey market.
The frustration is clearly boiling over inside the locker room. You can hear the tension in every single postgame media availability.
Reporter Luke Fox recently asked Nylander point-blank if missing the cut this season is just a temporary setback for the organization.
The star forward gave a short answer. It should set off massive alarm bells across the front office.
I mean, I sure hope that's the case, for sure. Otherwise... yeah.
That lingering final word is carrying a tremendous amount of weight. It sounds exactly like a superstar who is rapidly losing his patience.
The Clock Is Ticking In Toronto for William Nylander
Nylander is currently eating up an $11.5 million cap hit on the payroll. You don't pay a winger that kind of money to clean out his locker in April.
He signed his massive contract extension specifically to chase a Stanley Cup. Playing out the string on a losing team is unacceptable.
Despite producing his usual high offensive output all winter, the supporting cast simply hasn't delivered on the ice. The depth scoring completely vanished down the stretch.
Even the power play went completely cold during the most critical homestand of the year. The lack of crisp passing was shocking for a unit loaded with top-tier talent.
Management is staring down a brutal offseason. The current core group has officially run out of runway in this city. Fans are demanding accountability.
You absolutely can't keep the exact same roster intact after a collapse of this magnitude. A major shakeup is a strict requirement at this point.
If the team stumbles out of the gate next fall, Nylander might demand a fresh start elsewhere. He isn't going to sit around and wait through a rebuild. Changes are coming fast.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 10|411 ANSWERS William Nylander's future in Toronto in jeopardy after concerning comments Will William Nylander ask for a trade next season? | ||
| Yes | 318 | 77.4 % |
| No | 93 | 22.6 % |
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