Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander has been making the rounds in the news for the wrong reasons. The NHL threw the book at Nylander for his inappropriate gestures during Sunday’s Maple Leafs game against the Colorado Avalanche.
The TV broadcast zoomed in on the Maple Leafs’ injured players sitting in the press box, with Nylander flipping off the camera. Now, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety, which polices player conduct, slapped Nylander with a $5,000 fine.
The announcement came on Monday, in which Senior Vice President of Player Safety George Parros stated the reasons for the suspension:
“Nylander directed an inappropriate gesture at a television camera operator while the camera was directed at Mr. Nylander and his teammates in the press box. The gesture was shown live on-air during the game broadcast. This serves as a reminder that the code of conduct governing Players extends throughout the arena at NHL games and in public game situations.”
Nylander publicly apologized during a Maple Leafs press availability on Monday morning. He cited his frustration at sitting in the press box as the reason behind his outburst. Whether sincere or not, Nylander’s contrition seems to be enough for coach Craig Berube to declare it water under the bridge.
Berube deflected the situation by defending Nylander. The Maple Leafs’ bench boss declared that Nylander made a mistake, but owned up to it:
“Made a mistake. He owned up to it. You know, things happen. People make mistakes. Players make mistakes. Coaches make mistakes. It happens … He knows it’s wrong and he owned up to it.”
For the team’s sake, the incident had better just be a lapse in judgment.
Nylander’s Outburst Could Be Sign of Bigger Issues for Maple Leafs
When children misbehave in school, it isn’t always a sign that they are problematic. Unruly behavior can sometimes be an indicator that something is wrong at home or within the community.
That might be the troubling subtext behind William Nylander’s public outburst on Sunday. The star could be venting his frustration in an unhealthy manner. And that’s something that should tip off the Maple Leafs’ organization that a bigger issue could be bubbling beneath the surface.
Think of it as a volcanic eruption. Lava builds up beneath the surface for years before it overflows and burns everything in its path. The same could be said for the Maple Leafs this season.
Leafs Had Better Address Issues before It’s Too Late
While some may say that it’s too late to salvage this season, there’s something far more important at play. If the Maple Leafs cannot correct potential problems this season, the damage could be irreparable to the point where stars may need to be traded.
That may sound alarmist. But there have been cases in which unaddressed issues have led to good teams collapsing. It’s not a bad coach’s fault. It’s not the players not doing their bit. The situation boils down to a dysfunctional arrangement in which the organization needs a major reset to get back on track.
That’s the fate the Toronto Maple Leafs could face if they do not take serious actions to address the evidently bubbling frustration.
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