Analyst Rips William Nylander as Symbol of Maple Leafs Playoff Failures

If William Nylander and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ playoff hopes were slim and none coming out of the Olympic break, then slim has just about left the building.

Back-to-back embarrassing losses in Tampa Bay and Florida have all but ended the Maple Leafs’ season, and in somewhat fitting fashion, they were dismantled in every facet of the game from puck drop. Thursday night’s start against the Panthers was particularly bad, and Nylander was at the center of it all, which led one analyst to tear into him at the first intermission.

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TSN analyst Jeff O’Neill shot from the hip after the superstar winger’s ugly first period, which featured several turnovers — one of which led to a shorthanded goal that put the game out of reach before it had even really begun.

O’Neill said:

“20 seconds into this hockey game, this is one of their best players — what kind of message is this or example for everyone else? This is William Nylander. Watch all the Florida Panthers — guys, you’ve got to get pucks in deep, they stack the blue line. All five of them are standing there, and what does he do? It’s William Nylander time, let’s try to dipsy doodle. Craig Berube must be throwing up on the bench. Down 2-0, you need him to make a play, get the puck in — he coughs it up at the blue line. If you ever wonder why this team hasn’t had success in the playoffs, there’s one of the examples. It’s just his own program, do whatever you want to do, and it’s reasons like that that must drive the coaching staff nuts.”

The 29-year-old Nylander has had a productive yet inconsistent and injury-riddled season so far, tallying 54 points (18 goals, 36 assists) in just 42 games played. He’s in year two of the eight-year, $92 million extension signed with the Maple Leafs in 2024.

A three-game winning streak heading into the break gave Toronto life, but they knew the margin for error was razor thin — and they’ve already all but blown it with two poor performances upon returning.

While Nylander has been in the crosshairs, in reality, he’s largely been his usual self — and that’s never going to change. His defensive play and effort can be questionable — poor — at times, and that’s certainly been the case of late. On the flip side, he remains dynamic offensively and is always lurking in the weeds, good for a breakaway or two per game.

The Maple Leafs and their fans know this — or at least they should by now — though that doesn’t make it any less frustrating to watch when he’s off his game or making mistakes. He’s the kind of player who needs to be insulated by more responsible, reliable stars. Toronto had that for nearly a decade, but with Mitch Marner gone to Vegas, Auston Matthews no longer the top-five superstar he once was, and John Tavares past his prime, even more attention has shifted to Nylander. That can often be a good thing, but it can just as easily backfire — something we’ve seen more of this season than ever before.

Next: Insider Reveals Steven Stamkos is Eyeing a Return to Tampa Bay