William Nylander started the 2025–26 season like a man on fire. He was far over a point-per-game pace, carrying the Toronto Maple Leafs’ offence and looking every bit like the number one winger the team hoped he could be. Nylander was skating with confidence, threading passes through defenders, and finishing chances with the sort of skill that reminds you why he’s so special.
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For a while, everything seemed to click — the Maple Leafs had a winger who could drive play, create scoring chances, and take the spotlight in the city’s media circus without flinching.
Nylander’s December Has Grown Frigid
But lately? Well, things have taken a sharp turn. December has been unkind, and Nylander’s brilliance has gone missing in action. He hasn’t scored in 11 games, though he’s still generating chances — five assists and 17 shots on goal during that stretch. To underline how hot his start was, even after this downturn, he’s still sitting with 36 points in 31 games. That still works out to about 95 points over an 82-game season.
(Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
On the surface, it doesn’t look catastrophic, but for a player who’s expected to lead, the lack of finishes has been painfully obvious. He’s also a minus-11 over that stretch, a number that underlines the frustration of both the player and the team. Even the coach, Craig Berube, has acknowledged that sometimes the bounces just aren’t going the Maple Leafs’ way, but he’s also reminded everyone that getting greasy around the net and digging for those “dirty goals” is part of earning your points in the NHL. That’s easier said than done when confidence is teetering.
The Maple Leafs’ Road Trip Was a Harsh Mirror
The team’s road trip offered a harsh mirror. Toronto went 0-for-10 on the power play and struggled to convert solid chances into goals. Yesterday, assistant coach Marc Savard (who coached the power play) was let go. With the Columbus Blue Jackets’ win on Monday night, the Maple Leafs are now dead last in the Eastern Conference. That hasn’t happened in more than a decade.
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Although Nylander was creating opportunities, he and his linemates were hitting a wall. The kind of hockey he plays — fast, precise, and reliant on timing and chemistry — isn’t forgiving when the puck refuses to bounce your way. It’s a test of patience, resilience, and confidence. Every shift feels heavier when the puck won’t find the net, and for someone of Nylander’s skill, those stretches gnaw at your psyche.
Nylander Is Too Good to Look This Bad
Yet there’s reason to believe this slump isn’t permanent. Nylander is one of a kind. Few players in the league blend vision, hands, and hockey IQ the way he does. When he’s on, defenders look slow, goalies are scrambling, and his teammates benefit from the space he creates. Toronto has leaned on him in big moments before, and while he’s struggling now, the raw tools haven’t disappeared.
While I never thought I would say this about the enigmatic Swede, for Nylander, the challenge is mental as much as physical. Could it be that the discord surrounding the team has broken through his sort of teflon calmness? There’s a sort of inner ease to Nylander’s game, a joy that seems stubbornly resistant to pressure. Did we see a bit of a chink in that armour?
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For now, Nylander seems to be staying engaged, taking good chances, and trusting that skill and preparation will eventually produce results. Although he recently admitted that he didn’t know how to explain his downturn. And he seemed unusually troubled by that moment.
Tonight’s Game Against the Penguins Could Be His Reset
Looking ahead, tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins is the kind of game that could provide a reset. Toronto has owned the Penguins in recent seasons, and Nylander personally has racked up 16 points in 12 games against Sidney Crosby’s team. The Penguins have been reeling themselves, losers of eight of their last 10 before a shootout win on Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens. A familiar opponent, a home crowd, and the chance to break free from an ugly streak could add up to a potential turning point before the holidays.
(Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)
But there’s also a cautionary note. If Nylander and the Maple Leafs can’t turn things around against Pittsburgh, the slump could stretch into an uncomfortable holiday period. Every shift, every shot that misses, compounds pressure on the player and the team. Slumps happen in hockey, and even Nylander has one. He’s had one before.
How Will Nylander Respond to the Challenge?
For a star expected to carry the load, a slump is magnified. How Nylander responds in these next few games might tell us more about his leadership, his patience, and his ability to bounce back than any highlight reel ever could.
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For now, the story is that Nylander’s December has been rough. The talent is still there, the chance to reset is right in front of him, and the Maple Leafs need him firing again if they’re going to stay competitive in the tight race ahead. Fans, coaches, and teammates can only hope the magic returns before the calendar flips to 2026.