When Elite Skill Meets Frustrating Shifts

William Nylander might be the most polarizing guy on the entire Toronto Maple Leafs right now, and if you’ve been watching this team, you might know exactly why.

There’s no question that he has legit talent. His hands, the vision, the way he can slow the game down and make plays nobody else sees. When he’s rolling, he looks like a one-of-a-kind superstar. You watch a couple of shifts, and you can see just how special he is.

But There’s More to Nylander’s Game than His Elite Play

But then there are all those other shifts.

Way too often, fans feel like Nylander is only playing for Willy. The backchecking is hit or miss — mostly miss. If he skated back into the defensive zone even half as hard as he flies up the ice looking for offence, half the complaining about him would probably vanish. Instead, you see him floating around centre ice, kind of waiting for the next rush instead of helping out when the other team’s coming at you.

And it’s not just the defence. It’s the little things that Maple Leafs fans say drive them batty, like battling along the boards, finishing checks, sticking up for your teammates when things get chippy. Especially this time of year. When those moments happen and Nylander’s on the ice but not really in the play it stands out, and not in a good way.

One Night He Shows Well, the Next Night Not So Much

That’s what makes him so frustrating. One night, he scores two gorgeous goals and looks electric. Then you get a stretch of games where he kind of drifts around and disappears. The highs are high enough that you start believing in him again. But the lows are obvious enough that you can’t help but question it.

So here’s the big question Maple Leafs fans keep arguing about: what is he, really?

Is he a super-talented offensive weapon you just have to live with, flaws and all? Or is he supposed to be a core guy who still hasn’t figured out how to bring it every single shift when the game gets tight?

Even the Fans Who Love Nylander Don’t Expect Him to Be Perfect

The Maple Leafs don’t need him to be perfect. They just need him to be engaged — shift after shift, not just when the puck’s on his stick.

When he’s on, he’s a game-breaker. When he’s not, he becomes the whole conversation.

Related: Morgan Rielly Aware Maple Leafs Home Game Could Be His Last