Craig Berube called out by William Nylander for mismanagement of his ice time: tensions rising between the two
William Nylander is not happy with the amount of ice time Craig Berube is giving him, and he has met with him to discuss these frustrations.
The changes that were expected to sweep through how the Maple Leafs operated came on the heels of Sheldon Keefe's departure and Craig Berube's arrival. Known for his no-nonsense, hard-nosed style, he preaches effort and discipline. His system would favor much more direct, North-South hockey that limits the risk of neutral zone turnovers giving opponents counterattack opportunities. This marked a significant shift away from what's more characteristically defined the Leafs through their dynamic East-West style of play.
None has been more symptomatic of this change than William Nylander. The Swedish forward, who at his best has admittedly been in a more fluid style, now finds his ice time shrunk to its lowest usage in four seasons. Nylander is averaging 18 minutes per game this year, down nearly two minutes from last season. Such a dip would very well raise eyebrows because Nylander has perennially been considered one of the team's premier offensive talents. Berube has also not wasted any time ripping into Nylander's line at times this year.
Knowing this, Nylander approached Berube some time ago to understand why his minutes have been limited as of late. He has even offered to kill penalties as a means of proving to everyone that he is more than a one-dimensional scorer. This could be the way back to more minutes, which at least proves Nylander is willing to pivot on what management wants from him now. It's also an indication that he is committed to doing whatever it takes to remain relevant on the ice.
The output, despite a change in style and ice time, has remained pretty impressive. He had 10 points through six goals and four assists, across the first 10 games, and is leading the team in scoring alongside Mitch Marner. It may be that it is Berube's very team-first philosophy that explains why he hasn't budged on Nylander's ice time just yet. In-game, the coach seemed to have eyes on the bigger picture of the effort of his team rather than individual performances or questions of players' roles.
In due course, we will find out whether William Nylander's offer to play on the penalty kill equates to more ice time or if Craig Berube sticks with the current distribution. There is great potential for conflict if Nylander continues to feel underutilized, but for now, the situation is a balancing act. Of the utmost importance will be how the team handles this dynamic, and only time will tell whether harmony or tension prevails.
