Toronto Maple Leafs: Holiday break could be blessing for William Nylander

The Toronto Maple Leafs, especially William Nylander, could definitely benefit from the holiday break

The NHL’s holiday break in the regular season schedule is nearly upon us. One player who might benefit from the break more than anyone is Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander.

It might seem odd for a player with only six games under his belt to need a break. But it’s no secret the Maple Leafs are not seeing the best Nylander has to offer. Coming off months of negotiations on a new contract, and being immediately inserted into the lineup has left him looking a step slow as he tries to play catch up to the rest of the league.

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It was expected once Nylander inked his new six-year $45 million dollar contract, the winger was going to need time to get his game up to speed given he was two months behind everyone else. However, to have only recorded two assists along with a minus-one rating through six games suggests Nylander could benefit from a refreshing break in game action.

The right winger’s timing has been noticeably off as he went from free skating with junior teams to playing in the best league in the world in less than a week. As a result, he hasn’t played with his usual linemate in Auston Matthews, as Nylander is averaging just over 15 minutes per game on the third line. Until he shows signs of the Nylander Maple Leaf fans are used to, its hard to imagine he’ll be moved off the third line.

A small pause in the action could be exactly what he needs to regain the timing and legs that have made him a 60-point player. Toronto’s holiday break in the schedule is more unique than most teams, as the team will only play two games between Dec. 24 and Jan. 2. On top of this, the two games are back-to-back games on Dec. 28 and 29, giving the Maple Leafs four-day breaks in between action.

With so much time off, this gives Nylander the opportunity to slow down and catch his breath over the holidays. He’s been in nonstop motion since pen hit paper on his contract on Dec. 1. From flying to Toronto from Sweden the next day, to skating on his own prior to his season debut with no team practice, to getting into a car accident outside the team’s practice facility, to the team bus breaking down between Toronto and Buffalo, to playing five of his six games on the road.

Yes, the player is trying to catch up to the game speed his teammates are at and an argument could be made he needs more games and less time off. However, given everything Nylander has been through in the past 20 days since his contract signing, perhaps rest and relaxation is exactly what Nylander needs. Perhaps reflecting on his performance through the month, and gaining a better understanding of what he needs to reach the level expected of him, is what unlocks Nylander’s potential in the new year.

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The Maple Leafs still have three games to play before their holiday break starts to kick in. It could be a major boost for Nylander’s confidence if he was able to finally put the puck in the net before the break. However, these next three games will likely see more of the same from Nylander. Look for the true breakthrough in his performance to begin after the holidays.

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