For the First Time Ever Has William Nylander Lost His Confidence?

William Nylander is one of one; there truly is nobody else like him in the NHL. His pure talent ranks among the best players in the world, and when he’s on, there’s little you can do to stop him. On the other hand, his effort can be inconsistent, and when off, he can be a detriment to his team.

In recent years, Nylander reached a new level of consistency, elevating from a 60-ish point star in the league to a true point per game superstar, which gave the Maple Leafs the confidence to let Mitch Marner walk out the door for nothing (well, technically for Nicolas Roy).

The expectation was that he was ready to assume the role of the team’s number one winger, with his skillset and attitude suited for the Toronto spotlight. That remains the case and certainly seemed to hold true during his torrid start to the 2025–26 season.

However, cracks appeared even during his early-season surge, and they’ve come back to haunt both him and the Maple Leafs in December. After Sunday night’s loss in Dallas, Nylander himself admitted he’s never gone through such a difficult stretch on a personal and team level.

Nylander said:

“I don’t know if I’ve felt like, like this before. Or had a stretch like this. I’m not sure. I don’t feel like I’ve had that in the NHL, at least,”

The 29-year-old has produced 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 31 games this season, though he’s currently mired in an 11-game goalless drought, having tallied just five points (five assists), while being a -11 in that span.

Facing the Penguins Could Be What William Nylander Needs

If there’s any team Nylander and Maple Leafs fans would want to see before the Christmas break, it’s probably Pittsburgh.

Toronto has dominated Sidney Crosby and the aging Penguins in recent years, going 9-3-0 in their last 12 against them, with Nylander having amassed 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in those games.

Perhaps hosting the Pens in a Tuesday afternoon affair at Scotiabank Arena will be just what the doctor ordered to lighten the mood a little bit before the holidays. It also won’t hurt that Pittsburgh has been reeling itself of late, losers of eight of their last 10.

That said, if they can’t figure things out against the Penguins, then a grim situation could get even darker than it already is, meaning there’s surprisingly a lot riding on a late-December matchup.

Next: Maple Leafs Analyst Thinks William Nylander Finally Crossed a Line