Maple Leafs’ Big Advantage Might Be an Internal Rivalry

There was a lot to like about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 6–3 win over Colorado, and it wasn’t just the final score. Auston Matthews had four points, while William Nylander put up five, matching his career high. They seemed to feed off each other all night. Matthews helped set up Nylander, Nylander returned the favour, and both looked like they were having fun out there.

It got me wondering about something. Could a little friendly competition between these two help push the Maple Leafs forward?

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The Question Isn’t Whether Matthews or Nylander Is the Best

I’m not talking about a “who’s the better player?” contest. I mean the kind of thing that happens when you see your teammate having a great night, and it makes you want to get in on the action. One guy makes a big play, the other answers, and before long, both are rolling. When Matthews and Nylander are playing with that kind of confidence, it can make life a lot harder for the opposition. It also gives the younger players around them something to feed off.

Of course, this may not be about a rivalry at all. Maybe it’s simply about how well Matthews and Nylander can play together when they share the ice.

We’ve seen stretches of that before, and there’s a good argument for giving the combination more time. When two players with that much talent start reading each other well, some pretty good things can happen.

Would Matthews and Nylander Be Better on Two Different Lines?

There’s a catch, though. Put both stars on the same line, and you might make that line awfully dangerous. But you also have to spread the talent around the rest of the forward group. That’s the coaching staff’s balancing act. Do you put your best players together and hope they take over games, or do you spread them out and give the team more scoring options?

One big night against Colorado doesn’t answer that question. Hockey doesn’t work that way, and the Maple Leafs still have plenty to prove this season.

But the game was a useful reminder of what these two can do when they’re both feeling it. Matthews and Nylander don’t need to be competing against each other in any serious way. Sometimes, seeing your teammate have a great night is enough to give you an extra push.

Can Matthews and Nylander Bring Out the Best in Each Other?

I’d like to see more of this from Matthews and Nylander. They don’t have to put up four or five points every night, of course, but when both are skating with confidence and making things happen, the whole team seems to get a lift. And if one of them has a big night, it might give the other a nudge to do the same. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition, especially when everyone benefits.

The trick for the Maple Leafs is figuring out how to get the most out of both players over the long haul. Do you keep them together and see what happens, or do you use them to make two lines more dangerous? I don’t think there’s one right answer, and I’m not sure one game changes anything. But it sure was fun to watch. If Matthews and Nylander can keep pushing each other to be better, that’s a pretty nice problem for the Maple Leafs to have.

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