For all NHL players, ice time is the great motivator. Whether you’re a fourth-line plugger or a grade-A superstar, the chance to play as often as your body will allow is what NHLers are focused on day in and day out. And as we’re seeing with Toronto Maple Leafs star right winger William Nylander, a reduction in minutes is something that fuels a star to achieve more and earn more time on the ice.
Nylander spoke out this week about averaging nearly two minutes less – 17:58 per game – than he did last season when he averaged 19:55 per game. The 28-year-old clearly wants more minutes, but the easiest remedy for Nylander’s situation is to play as well as he has in the past two games where he posted a combined three goals and five points to give him eight goals and 12 points in 11 games this year.
Nylander can force coach Craig Berube’s hand by generating at least a point-per-game – which would still put him below last season’s career-best pace of 40 goals and 98 points in 82 games – and playing a more responsible all-around game. Nylander set the bar for himself last season, and now it’s about consistency and pushing to find a new level as an individual and a teammate.
The thing is, Berube has already spread out the minutes throughout Toronto’s lineup, and more than a couple of veterans are playing less often. Star defenseman Morgan Rielly’s time is down from an average of 23:44 to 21:25. Star center John Tavares has had his minutes reduced from 17:52 last season to 16:23 this year. Meanwhile, other players have gotten more ice time under Berube. Left winger Matthew Knies has gone from 13:41 to 17:20 per night. And center Max Domi has gone from 13:47 to 14:39.
Ice time is a zero-sum game, so those increases come at the expense of other players. But Berube has done his best to even out the minutes throughout the lineup. Defenseman Jake McCabe’s minutes are up from 20:39 in 2023-24 to 21:34. Former Leafs blueliner T.J. Brodie was significantly over-used at 21:43 last season, but his replacement on the salary cap front, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, has looked far better at 21:38 per game this year. And third-pair D-man Simon Benoit has played 15:32, down from 17:14 last season; his minutes have ostensibly been taken up by first-year Leaf Chris Tanev, who’s averaging 19:34 this season.
You can see, then, why the Leafs have on the whole looked like a much fresher group this year. We’re sure everyone you’d ask on the team would say they want to play more, but in his use of ice time – the only real carrot a coach has to entice their players into better performances – Berube is laying down the challenge to Nylander and every other Buds player. “Make me play you more and give me no choice but to keep you on the ice.”
If Nylander does that, his minutes will rise. If he doesn’t look engaged and he takes bad penalties or commits glaring turnovers, Berube will give those extra one or two minutes to someone else. It’s really that simple, and Nylander knows that.
We’re barely past the 10-percent mark of the regular season, so once we have a bigger sample size, we’ll have a better idea of where each player stands in Toronto’s pecking order. But as it stands right now, Nylander has a serious challenge in front of him. Excel, and get 20 minutes a night, or falter, and stay where he is at the moment.
At its core, the NHL game is an exercise in merit, and any player who is thriving is ultimately taking away playing time and opportunity from his teammates. It’s the game within the game, and Nylander is currently finding out what Berube wants to see from his players. The better the Swede performs, the more we’ll see of him on the ice. And if he doesn’t do what the coach wants, he’ll only have himself to blame.
Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.
Read the full article here