The Toronto Maple Leafs’ early struggles continued Monday afternoon with a 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena. With the season now at 1-2, it was the second loss in a row against Detroit. The Red Wings’ Mason Appleton buried the game winner with just 45 seconds left in regulation time.
After the game, head coach Craig Berube was blunt in his assessment of the team’s offensive play – and in particular of star player William Nylander, who managed just three shots on goal in Toronto’s first three games. By comparison, Auston Matthews finished with 15 shot attempts for the Leafs in the loss.
“Willy needs more shots. He doesn’t have enough shots,” Berube said. “He needs to attack more, needs to shoot more. He needs to come inside more. We need more from him.”
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Berube added that he plans to speak directly with Nylander to gauge where his play and confidence are.
This isn’t the first time a fan coach has been frustrated with Nylander. He is one of the more dynamic players in the NHL, but he is often criticized for his level of competition and inconsistencies given how much he can be a difference maker when he wants to be. One fan wrote on social media: “Can anyone check Willy Nylander’s YouTube page to see where he is? Because he’s not at ScotiaBank at all, where he should be!”
Several fans have noted that Nylander looked disgruntled at the start of the season, something the Maple Leafs can’t afford, especially as they move on without Mitch Marner.
Nylander is a highly paid key member of Toronto’s core, alongside Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly. These are the four players expected to be the leaders on the ice, especially on the offensive side of the game. If they struggle to generate consistent offense, Berube is aware of how big of a problem this season could be.
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