The Toronto Maple Leafs have a bit of a new look to them this year. Mitch Marner left for the Vegas Golden Knights this summer. It represented the first shakeup of the team’s Core Four — which also includes Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and William Nylander. Without Marner, there is a bit of a void in leadership on Craig Berube’s team.
Marner’s production is the aspect many focus on. This makes sense, given that he scored 100+ points in his final season in Toronto. He is, without a doubt, a top 15 player in the NHL. Losing someone with that talent and his ability will impact on ice production.
However, Marner was also a leader in this locker room. He was one of the more vocal players in Toronto’s series against the Florida Panthers where the wheels fell off and they lost in seven. Replacing his voice is going to be difficult.
In saying this, Berube isn’t all that worried. The Maple Leafs head coach believes his team can move forward without Marner. As for the leadership void, the veteran bench boss pointed to Nylander when speaking to the media on Saturday.
“He had a great year. We want him to have another great year obviously, production-wise. We need him to score goals and we need him to do the things that he does with his skill. For me, I think he can take a bigger step in a leadership role,” Berube said, via Sportsnet’s Sonny Sachdeva.
William Nylander Must Step It Up Off The Ice
Maddie Meyer/Getty ImagesWilliam Nylander should carry more of the workload for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season.
Nylander’s talent on the ice is certainly undeniable. Take the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, for example. He was noticeably better than other Maple Leafs skaters throughout the playoff run. When the puck was on his stick, he looked like a threat to make something happen more often than not.
Success on the ice doesn’t only occur on the ice, though. There are factors off the ice that play into on-ice performance. Berube wants to see Nylander do more in these off-ice areas to help his team when the puck drops.
“Step it up in the dressing room, on the bench. Just the voice, more than anything, for me. Leading with playing the right way. … Taking care of your teammates, helping them out in situations. Maybe they need a little kick in the a**. That’s all leadership for me. That’s what leadership’s about,” the Maple Leafs coach said, via Sachdeva.
Craig Berube Has High Praise For Maple Leafs’ Nylander
Berube is entering his second season with Toronto. He knew the sort of player Nylander was before taking this job. Having more experience with him, though, has left a great impression on the Stanley Cup-winning coach. Berube took time to share some high praise for the Toronto winger on Saturday.
“He’s a highly skilled player. He’s always been that, and he’s always done certain things a certain way. That habit takes time to change. But for me, he bought in,” Berube said of Nylander, via Sachdeva. “And I believe he’s still bought in. Now, is he going to be perfect? No, he’s going to try things at times that maybe we don’t want him to. But like I’ve said before, I don’t want to take the stick right out of his hand either.”
The Maple Leafs are heading into a bit of a new era this upcoming season. Berube hopes Nylander is at the forefront, leading this team toward the Stanley Cup. Toronto opens its 2025-26 season on October 8th against the Montreal Canadiens.
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