The Toronto Maple Leafs hired head coach Craig Berube in order to bring a new level of accountability to the franchise that is desperately trying to get over the hump, and that’s what he’s doing right now by holding the feet of one of the club’s top players to the fire.
Forward William Nylander, who is one of their top sources of offensive production, has failed to register a single point in each of his last four games. In response, Berube has dropped Nylander down in the lineup, skating him on the club’s third line combination alongside Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua.
When asked about his reasoning behind the roster move, Berube said it was simply time to shake things up.
“The Tavares, Nylander, Cowan line has kind of fallen off for me a bit, dried up a little bit, so I made a switch there just to give him a different look,” he said.
As far as Nylander’s status is concerned, Berube indicated that he’s spoken one-on-one with the Swedish forward and expressed confidence that he’ll be able to break out of his slump.
“I think if I had to look at one thing, I would say he’s got to get involved more, engage more in the games, work his way through it,” Berube said. “All players go through it at some point, but I think if he just works his way through it, he’ll get out of it quicker.”
Nylander, who is playing in the second season of the eight-year, $92 million extension he signed just over two calendar years ago, has tallied 11 goals with 21 assists so far in 25 games played while averaging 19:53 of ice time.
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William Nylander had a positive reaction to being demoted in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ lines
While it’s certainly a disappointing feeling for a player of Nylander’s caliber to be demoted to a checking line role, he understood the reasoning behind Berube’s decision and said that trying something new could unlock new results for him.
“I think it’s great, we needed to try something new,” he said.
Nylander continued by saying he knows that he has to generate more offensive chances and that it starts by shooting the puck more when he’s got the opportunity to do so.
“I feel like there are chances where I should maybe be shooting the puck, passing it, whatever,” Nylander said. “And (I) needed a little bit more hunger to attack the net and get the puck there. So I think that’s probably one of the aspects that’s missing.”
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Maple Leafs Insiders believe a clear message is being sent
Nylander’s star status with the Maple Leafs has afforded him no protection when it comes to Berube’s line combination decisions, and a pair of noted Maple Leafs Insiders believe that a clear message is being sent.
During Wednesday afternoon’s episode of TSN’s Overdrive, Bryan Hayes noted, “There’s nothing sexy about playing with Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua.”
“That is a direct message (to Nylander) from Craig Berube – you’d better start skating, working and checking,” Hayes continued.
Fellow Insider and former Maple Leafs forward Jeff O’Neill concurred.
“He’s trying to give him a jolt,” O’Neill said. “You’re trying to get his attention and wake him up.”
Nylander and the Maple Leafs will face the San Jose Sharks at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday evening.
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