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Without William Nylander the Maple Leafs Are in Big Trouble

Twice in Vegas, the Toronto Maple Leafs had it—and let it slip. When Nylander left, the game tilted. That’s not coincidence.

by
Old Prof
January 16, 2026

Twice in Vegas, the Toronto Maple Leafs had the game in their hands. Up 3–1 after the first, the team still lost in overtime by a score of 6-5 and walked away with one point instead of two. It wasn’t because of one bad bounce or a late miracle shot. It was because they couldn’t settle the game when it was there to be settled. Somewhere between protecting the lead and adding to it, the game slid away.

The Game Turned Sideways When William Nylander Left with an Injury

The game turned early. Before William Nylander left in the first period, the Maple Leafs were in control. Pucks were moving cleanly through the middle, they had firm control of the neutral zone, and they were forcing the Golden Knights into making mistakes that they don’t typically make. When Nylander headed down the tunnel, everything changed.

When he’s rolling, Toronto’s game opens up. Defenders back off half a step. Passing lanes appear that aren’t there for others. The Maple Leafs stop playing around with pressure and play through it. Once he was gone, the lineup contracts. Shifts get shorter, and decisions come more slowly.

Last night, Vegas gradually pulled the game back to 5-4. Then they got a fluky goal with seven seconds left in the game and won in overtime.

William Nylander is the Maple Leafs tipping point.

Nylander Has Become the Maple Leafs Tipping Point

Nylander has become the Maple Leafs’ swing piece. The label of the team’s best player likely goes to Auston Matthews. He drives results. But Nylander is undeniably a difference-maker. When he’s in, Toronto plays better. When he’s out — or even limited — the team has to work harder for the same ice, the same chances, the same outcomes.

The numbers back it up. Seventeen goals, 48 points in 37 games tell one story. The more telling one is how often Toronto looks like a contender when he’s flying and how often they look like a poorer team when he’s not in the lineup. His latest lower-body problem, coming after he already missed six games, is a structural problem.

The Maple Leafs can shuffle their wingers and try to find scoring in other places. What they can’t do is replace the way Nylander grabs the game and takes it over.

If he’s gone, the team has a problem.