William Nylander makes his feelings known about sticking with Toronto Maple Leafs despite 57-year Stanley Cup drought
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander shared his thoughts about staying with the Leafs despite their long Stanley Cup drought spanning nearly six decades.
The Leafs are one of the most successful teams in NHL history, having won 13 championships, but they haven't lifted the Cup since 1967. That makes their drought the longest in the league, spanning 57 years.
Nylander reckons the only way to win the Cup is to stay in Toronto. He wants to be a part of the team that ends the franchise's long wait. The 28-year-old Swedish feels Toronto is the best place to make that dream a reality.
During a photoshoot with Sharp Magazine, Nylander said:
"When it’s all said and done, I just want to be the guy that was on the team that won the Cup for us. Forget about everything else. That would be the only thing that would matter. That’s why I signed here. I want to win a championship more than anything.”
When asked if Toronto is the best place for him to win the Cup, Nylander responded:
“It’s the only place to do it.”
William Nylander was drafted eighth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2014 NHL draft. He has been with them for a decade but has not gotten past the second round in the playoffs.
The last time the Leafs made it to the second round was when they beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2022-23 playoffs. In the previous year's playoffs, the Leafs were eliminated by the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the first round. Nylander played only four games due to blind migraines.
Money was not the factor for William Nylander in staying with the Leafs
William Nylander, who signed an eight-year, $92 million deal with the Leafs in January, expressed that money wasn't the main reason for his decision to stay with the club.
For him, the contract represented something deeper. It was a signal from both the team and the city, indicating their desire for him to remain with them and their commitment to winning a championship together.
“I get it. The money gets the headlines. But for me, the contract was so much more of a message from the team and the city saying, ‘We want you here. We want to win a championship with you,’ ” he says.
“I hope signing it was a clear message back that I want to be here. This is it. This is home.”
William Nylander has notched up 24 points through 14 goals and 10 assists this season.