Toronto Maple Leafs

Trading William Nylander Makes No Sense Every Game He Plays

Nylander keeps producing in a chaotic Leafs season — and keeps making the case that he’s the one piece they can’t misread.

by
Old Prof
April 12, 2026

Even in a Toronto Maple Leafs season that’s kind of fallen off the rails, William Nylander just keeps showing up. That’s the thing that sticks with you. Saturday night’s two-goal game wasn’t some random flash—it’s who he’s been all year. Effort, skill, and that ability to actually make something happen when the puck’s on his stick.

Nylander Just Keeps Putting Up Points

Five shots, a power-play goal, and for stretches, he was the only player trying to tilt the ice Toronto’s way. When the team gets this stale, someone like Nylander really stands out. He’s still trying to write a different ending instead of just accepting how the game is going.

Looking more closely, the numbers back it up. Through 63 games, he’s sitting at 28 goals and 75 points. That’s solid production. Twenty-one of those points came on the power play, over 150 shots on net—that’s not hollow production. That’s a guy driving results.

Nylander’s Minus-13 Rating Is Hardly All His Fault

Sure, Nylander’s minus-13 doesn’t look great on paper. But context matters here. The team has had huge issues defensively, the lines have been shuffled, and the overall structure hasn’t exactly helped anyone look good in their own end. That number doesn’t tell the whole story—not even close.

What I like most, though, is how he’s going about it. You can see his engagement. He’s not floating. He’s battling for loose pucks, taking pucks to the net, trying to create instead of waiting for something to happen. That stuff matters, especially now. When a season goes sideways, you find out pretty quickly who’s still invested.

William Nylander Maple Leafs staying — William Nylander of the Maple Leafs is producing when others are not.

The Bottom Line? Nylander Still Has It

There’s still noise about Nylander, which feels odd given his play. Trade talk, shakeups, big changes. I suppose that all comes out of a season like this. But moving a player like Nylander feels like the wrong read. He’s in his prime, producing at a high level, and handling big minutes in all situations. Those aren’t the guys you move out unless you’re absolutely sure about what’s coming back.

If anything, he’s the kind of player you build around.

The Maple Leafs’ Job Is to Build a Team Around Him

Looking ahead, the problem isn’t really Nylander — it’s everything around him. The Maple Leafs need more consistency, better support, and far more structure if they want to become a serious team again. One guy can’t carry the whole load, no matter how talented he is.

But if you’re looking for something to hang onto from this season, Nylander’s a pretty good place to start.