Yahoo Sports 'How Many Games Ago Did I Score?': Maple Leafs' William Nylander Unfazed At Recent Goal Scoring Drought
William Nylander wasn't down on himself Wednesday when the Toronto Maple Leafs forward was asked about his scoring slump.
Nylander has one goal in his last seven games dating back to Jan. 2 in their 2-1 win over the New York Islanders. His strong start to the year has cooled off significantly so much so that the 28-year-old has just one goal since Dec. 21.
"How many games ago did I score?" Nylander joked on Wednesday as he leaned on the Maple Leafs' backdrop behind him.
In his first 22 games of the season, Nylander scored 14 goals and 10 assists — over a point-per-game pace. In his last 22 games, however, the forward has put up 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points.
It's not a huge difference in point totals, but his most recent stretch of games hasn't seen him be as productive. (Nylander has been on the scoresheet in four of his last 10 games, scoring six points in that span.)
"I mean, sometimes it happens. It is what is. Just want to get back to creating chances every night and I mean, if it's not going in, it's not going in," Nylander said on Wednesday. "But, at least you were creating and I think that's what I want to get back to."
Nylander has always been a player who doesn't shy away from the moment. He's filled with confidence and you can see glimpses of that on the ice and when speaking with him.
The forward notices his recent stretch of play more so when he's passing up opportunities to shoot the puck.
"I mean, maybe in some opportunities where maybe I would be shooting the puck, I'm deciding maybe to pass or something like that," he said. "But, other than that, I think it's more so just the sort of situation. Maybe making another decision instead of making another one to create an opportunity."
Toronto has played 45 games this season and Nylander's appeared in all but one of them. He's on pace to finish the year with 81 points, 17 less than he finished last season with.
The forward, though, is progressing to end the year with 44 goals, which would be a career-high for him. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube wants to see Nylander work his way out of this recent slump.
"Well, we talk about working his way out of it. I think, I go back to the Carolina game. I thought in that first period he was really explosive in that game and on top of things. Just getting him back to more consistency with that," Berube said on Wednesday.
"And when he has opportunity, shoot the puck. Like he's got a great shot. And, he hit a post last night on the power play, but he's got to shoot. And he's got to just stay involved in the game a little bit longer than he is.
"Like I think, just working your way out of it. Just like our whole team. Offensively, we've got to keep working and got to stay on. We need second and third effort everywhere. This league's a second and third-effort league. And this time of year, it gets hard, and we all know that. And we need second and third effort."
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