There comes a point when a player’s actions start to signal that he may not be fully committed to staying. Like a child seeking attention by doing what they know they shouldn’t, the path to getting what you want isn’t always direct.
That may be the most logical way to describe William Nylander‘s season—one where he appears to be making too many questionable decisions. It raises an unavoidable question: how many mistakes can Nylander make before the Toronto Maple Leafs seriously consider a move?
Nylander’s 2025-26 Season Screams ‘Get Rid of Him’
Counter to what was argued by Old Prof in a recent article, I’m of the opinion that you don’t (frankly can’t) reward polarizing behavior, no matter how talented a player is. He writes, “That independence makes him unpredictable and exciting — precisely the kind of player you want when playoff dreams feel like a decade away.” To me, that independence makes him a liability.
Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Woll, Tavares, Haymes & Forming Identity
Look at the things Nylander has done this season. Sid Seixeiro did a nice job of summarizing it in a recent video where he said:
“William Nylander’s year: zero defence, at times didn’t score when you needed him to. Middle finger to the camera, TSN camera. Tank top in the box. Missed a bunch of games, then came back for two games before the Olympics, went to the Olympics, wasn’t good. Came back hasn’t been good. Has taken up zero leadership role. Zero. And was given an A for it. Didn’t defend Auston, was given an A as punishment. Says he didn’t see it…
That’s just the list Seixeiro could remember. It’s hard to know what else Nylander has done behind the scenes to rub his teammates the wrong way or be more of a nuisance for head coach Craig Berube. Maybe nothing. Even still, that list is long enough.
Time For the Maple Leafs to Move On
When a player acts out, there’s a reason. This isn’t just Nylander being Nylander. He’s either frustrated, seeking attention, or trying to send a not-so-subtle message that he’s about to become a bigger headache than the organization wants.
As the franchise makes potentially sweeping changes over the summer, moving on from Nylander should be near the top of the list.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)
His disrespect for the team, the fans, and his teammates is likely not the end of his poor decision-making. This is more likely the first of many seasons where he’ll draw attention for all the wrong reasons.
There’s only one problem — trading him comes at a cost. He has control over when and where he goes. Unless he’s eager to go and a trade option presents itself that works for both sides, Toronto loses this deal. And, there’s no way of knowing if Nylander simply decides he’s not going to entertain the idea.
Seixeiro adds:
“I know a lot of people are like he has a no-movement, so what do you do with him? It’s a valid point. You sit him. You sit him until he waives it. If the Leafs want to fix this culture and if the Leafs want to start this rebuild they’ve got to play dirty with their players. And I’m serious when I say that I mean it.”
Before it gets to that point, there should be a conversation. The Maple Leafs need to go to Nylander and tell him that his behavior this season is and was unacceptable. It won’t be tolerated moving forward. If these are the kind of antics he’s going to pull as part of the team, their preference is to let him be that version of himself elsewhere. Should that not wake him up to the realization that he’s on thin ice, start shopping.
The Leafs won’t win that deal, but they’re already in a place where sending a new message about culture might be as or more important.
