Two-goal hero William Nylander addresses his 'shush' celebration after head coach's prior comments on reduced TOI

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Nov 01, 2024 05:18 GMT

William Nylander’s two-goal performance in the Maple Leafs’ 4-1 win over Seattle Kraken on Thursday was impressive. But his “shush” celebration also caught fans' attention. After scoring, Nylander raised his finger to his lips, a move that many found surprising. Some thought it was a response to recent comments from head coach Craig Berube about Nylander’s limited time on ice.

When asked about the celebration after the game, Nylander laughed it off.

"You know what, it just came out of nowhere, to be honest," Nylander said. "I don’t know. I think I did it earlier this year too for some reason. I’ve never done it in my life before, so I don’t know."

Nylander didn’t seem to suggest it was planned, but the timing led to plenty of talk.

Nylander was on fire during the game, scoring two goals from the same spot near the crease. His first came early in the second period on a cross-slot pass from Morgan Rielly. The second followed eight minutes later, this time on a feed from John Tavares. Nylander finished with six shots on goal.

Nylander has been on a hot streak, tallying five points in his last two games. So far this season, he has 12 points, eight goals and four assists and is tied with Tavares for the team lead.

Leafs coach Craig Berube's comments on William Nylander

The talk around William Nylander’s celebration came after recent comments from Berube about Nylander’s ice time. While Nylander has been healthy this season aside from a short illness, Berube hasn’t been giving him as many minutes. The head coach has suggested that Nylander’s time on ice is earned.

“What I do is I try to get him out there, if deserved, as much as I can,” Berube said.

In an earlier interview, Berube added that he focuses on team depth.

"I don't focus on ice time so much. I get Willy out there quite a bit, a lot. Lot of key situations, obviously. At the same time, I've said this all along, we want to be a good team. Everybody needs to be involved. I try to get Willy out there as much as I can." Berube explained.

The coach wants everyone to have a role, which may explain Nylander’s limited minutes. But despite fewer minutes, Nylander has continued to perform. He’s proving his value with strong play, even with the adjusted minutes. Nylander’s “shush” may not have been a statement, but it comes as he’s been key to the Leafs’ offense.