The Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets recently faced off in Columbus, with the Maple Leafs emerging as the winner by a score of 2-1 in overtime. Both teams were kept off the scoreboard until late in the third period, when Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski and Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan scored late goals to tie the game at 1.
And then part of the new Maple Leafs core, forward William Nylander scored the game winner at 4:40 of overtime to give the Maple Leafs their 10th win of the season. But Nylander actually made team history with the goal. Nylander’s OT goal actually made him stand alone in Maple Leafs history as the all-time leading OT goal scorer. What a feat for the forward.
NYLANDER WINS IT IN OT TO BECOME THE LEAFS ALL TIME OT GOAL LEADER 😳🚨 pic.twitter.com/Q7JVXihQbB
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 27, 2025
There were talks in the offseason amongst general manager Brad Treliving and other Maple Leafs front office members, that it was time to break up the core four. That core four consisted of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares. Marner was the one that was traded away to the Vegas Golden Knights, and it seems like it was a very good call to keep Nylander.
Nov 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) celebrates scoring a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Maple Leafs fans better thank Treliving for not getting rid of their star forward. He has been absolutely carrying the Maple Leafs on the scoresheet. With his overtime winner and an assist on Cowan’s goal against the Blue Jackets, that puts Nylander at 11 goals and 20 assists in 20 games so far this year.
Nylander is producing over a point per game and the fact that he is doing that while Matthews was sidelined for a bit until recently returning, and Tavares still being in the lineup on a daily basis says a lot about the kind of player Nylander is. Maple Leaf nation should appreciate Nylander for how hard he works game in and game out and how well he produces.
Treliving seems to have made the correct choice in keeping Nylander as there were talks it could have been him that could have left over the offseason instead of Marner. Treliving was looking to make a change to the core four and there were talks about any of the four leaving.
Nylander needs to get some help on the scoresheet and not have to do it all himself. But the fact that he is producing on the scoresheet at a crazy rate so far, should have Maple Leafs roaring and thankful this Thanksgiving.