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William Nylander May Be the Maple Leafs’ Best Player

For most of the past decade, there hasn’t been much debate about who the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ best player is. Auston Matthews has been the face of the franchise, one…

By The Old Prof · The Hockey Writers

Published: Tuesday, 13 October 2026 at 1:15 PM

Key Things to Know

The Old Prof argues William Nylander may now be the Toronto Maple Leafs' biggest offensive threat over Auston Matthews.
Nylander recorded 174 points across 153 games over the past two-plus seasons compared to Matthews' 141 points in 133 games.
The writer notes Nylander recently posted a five-point game in a 6-3 victory against the Colorado Avalanche.

The Story in 60 Seconds

The Hockey Writers' columnist The Old Prof analyzes whether William Nylander has surpassed Auston Matthews as the Toronto Maple Leafs' top player. Following Nylander's five-point performance in a 6-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche, the writer highlights that Nylander has outproduced Matthews with 174 points in 153 games compared to Matthews' 141 points in 133 games over the past two-plus seasons.

While Nylander has emerged as the team's primary offensive threat due to superior durability and scoring rates, the writer concludes Matthews remains Toronto's best all-around player because of his superior 200-foot defensive play and overall complete game.

Read the full article on The Hockey Writers

William Nylander May Be the Maple Leafs’ Best Player

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