Nylander already a PP wizard for Leafs; Swede approaching franchise rookie record
TORONTO — With Winnipeg’s penalty killers closing in, William Nylander looks to be cornered and out of options. Then the Maple Leafs forward brushes off Joel Armia, protects the puck from the Jets winger’s prying stick and finally whips a cross-ice pass to Leo Komarov for another power-play goal.
Still just a rookie, Nylander is already a wizard on the NHL’s No. 1 power-play unit. He leads his team and all rookies with 19 power-play points and the entire league in power-play points per-60 minutes at 8.69.
“You’re just trying to see what they give you,” Nylander said Wednesday. “Maybe Leo might not have been open and then I maybe could’ve got a shot off or whatever so it depends what they do.”
Nylander had two points with the man advantage Tuesday in Toronto’s 5-4 overtime win over the Jets, including his eighth power-play goal that tied the game 4-4. That brought him to within one of the Leafs franchise rookie record for power-play goals (held by three players) and within six of Dan Daoust’s franchise rookie mark for power-play points (25), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.