{"id":443120,"date":"2026-02-03T11:04:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T11:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/443120\/"},"modified":"2026-02-03T11:04:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T11:04:20","slug":"nylanders-return-gives-leafs-much-needed-lift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/443120\/","title":{"rendered":"Nylander\u2019s return gives Leafs much-needed lift"},"content":{"rendered":"

CALGARY \u2013 William Nylander\u2019s return to Toronto\u2019s lineup has sparked the Maple Leafs\u2019 return to the win column.<\/p>\n

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Nylander scored his 18th goal of the season and added two assists on Monday to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-2 NHL victory over the Calgary Flames.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s just so good and so dangerous,\u201d said linemate John Tavares. \u201cHis ability \u2014 it seems like the puck is glued to his stick, following him around the ice \u2014 that\u2019s what makes great players special is their ability to control the game and the things flow through them.\u201d<\/p>\n

After going 1-5-1 while Nylander was sidelined with a groin injury, the Leafs have won two straight upon his return.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s so dynamic,\u201d said goaltender Joseph Woll, who made 28 saves. \u201cEvery time he\u2019s on the ice, he\u2019s a threat to score. So, it\u2019s a big confidence boost having him up there, and obviously it\u2019s great to have him back.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Nylander put his stamp on this game just 35 seconds in.<\/p>\n

With the Flames buzzing dangerously around the Toronto end, Jonathan Huberdeau\u2019s pass was intercepted by Tavares, who sprung Nylander on a breakaway and his snap shot gave the visitors a lead they would not relinquish.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat play by John,\u201d said Nylander. \u201cWe\u2019ve been playing from behind a lot lately, so it was nice to get that one early.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The 28-year-old right-winger continued his prowess in the second period, neatly setting up Matias Maccelli at 7:17 to make it 2-0, then less than two minutes later, finding Troy Stecher breaking to the net and the defenceman buried what would end up being the game-winner.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe\u2019s (Nylander) unbelievable, man, I wish I could play that way,\u201d said Stecher with a smile. \u201cHe\u2019s so talented, obviously, and he just plays with so much confidence. And if he makes a mistake, it doesn\u2019t beat him up, he\u2019s still out there making plays.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe\u2019s one of the top players in the world for a reason. It\u2019s impressive to watch him every day do what he does.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leafs coach Craig Berube pointed to that third goal as an example of the dynamic offence that line and his team can produce.<\/p>\n

\u201cA great four-on-four goal,\u201d said the Toronto bench boss. \u201cJust the movement, you get on four-on-four, it\u2019s man-on-man, and (Stecher) beat his guy to the net and Willy made a great play to him, and he made a nice move on the goalie.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Berube says it\u2019s the type of impact Nylander can have.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving Willy back has really boosted our team a lot. Obviously, he is a great player in this league, and having him in the lineup makes us a much more dangerous team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nylander leads the club in scoring with 51 points (18 goals, 33 assists), despite missing 17 games due to injury.<\/p>\n

On a points-per-game basis, Nylander is having the most productive season of his career averaging 1.31 points per game, which ranks ninth in the league.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI thought our line, obviously driven by him, just making good plays, staying hard on pucks. I think just doing a pretty good job throughout the neutral zone for most of the night, and allowed us to gain some good puck possession,\u201d said Tavares. \u201cUse our abilities to spread the ice, move the puck, and obviously, when Willy gets it in spaces, he\u2019s as dangerous as anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n

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It was also a homecoming of sorts for Nylander, who was born in Calgary while his father, Michael, played for the Flames in the mid-\u201990s. In 26 career games, he\u2019s piled up 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists). In his last seven trips to Calgary, he has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists).<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t really thought too much about it, I mean I was only a year-and-a-half when I was here,\u201d he said. \u201cSo I don\u2019t really remember anything, but, it\u2019s a nice place to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bobby McMann, into an empty net, also scored for Toronto which moves to within seven points of the Boston Bruins, who occupy the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a lot of belief in this team that doesn\u2019t waver regardless of results,\u201d said Woll. \u201cI see our systems we play. I see how solid we are in front of me and how dynamic we are at scoring. So, I have all the confidence in the world in this group and we\u2019ve just got to keep it rolling.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Leafs will look to make it a perfect Western Canada road trip when they play their final game before the Olympic Break on Tuesday night in Edmonton.<\/p>\n

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2026.<\/p>\n

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