NHL Trades and Rumors
Are the Maple Leafs Better Without William Nylander? Analyst Weighs In
The Maple Leafs recent surge without William Nylander has sparked a question nobody in Toronto really wants to ask.
The Toronto Maple Leafs desperately needed to get on a roll and start piling up points in the standings, and since the holiday break, that’s exactly what they’ve managed to do. A 4-0-2 stretch has pulled them to within two points of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference—and they’ve done it without one of their most dynamic players in William Nylander.
The star winger has been sidelined since suffering a lower-body injury in the second period of Toronto’s December 27 win over Ottawa. What initially felt like a potential knockout blow to an already fragile team has instead become something of a rallying point, helping keep their season alive when things were looking quite bleak.
Nylander has put up his usual strong numbers when healthy in 2025–26, but it wasn’t translating into team success. As a result, now that the Leafs have found their footing in his absence, conversations have started to bubble up about whether this stretch means something more.
Sportsnet analyst Nick Kypreos weighed in on the topic on Wednesday’s Real Kyper and Bourne show.
“I’m not totally off board on what you’re saying, if in fact that whatever the case is, and I’m a big energy guy as well, is the energy just better without him outside of the talent he does bring? Can you take Willy out and bring in two or three other pieces in that may not hit his ceiling of talent but may hit other areas? What is wrong with having that conversation?… It’s always an option. It’s an option going into the trade deadline; it’s an option in the offseason. Yeah, you have to look,”
The 29-year-old Nylander has tallied 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) in the 33 games he’s played so far this season.
Should the Maple Leafs Shop William Nylander?
There’s no denying that something has clicked for Toronto lately, and the timing has lined up almost perfectly with Nylander being out of the lineup.
That said, much of this recent surge has everything to do with the massively improved play and production of Auston Matthews, taking over as the superstar top-10 player in the world he is.
How things look once Nylander returns will be telling. If the chemistry stalls or the same early-season issues resurface, then Kypreos’ suggestion of at least exploring a trade down the road doesn’t sound quite as far-fetched.
For now, though, the idea of moving on from him should remain just that—an idea. The Maple Leafs’ focus has to stay on climbing back into the playoff picture, and Nylander—once he returns—will play a huge role in making that happen.
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