Toronto Maple Leafs star winger William Nylander is facing immense pressure on two fronts this year: in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, and at the 2026 Olympics with Team Sweden.
When Toronto Maple Leafs right winger William Nylander is on his game, there aren't many NHL players who are more dazzling.
His shot is precision-perfect. His skating is smooth and slick. His playmaking is underrated, and his play-finishing is top-10-in-the-league-level elite. Nylander can do it all, but he will be under massive pressure to do so, not just for the Leafs, but for Team Sweden at the Olympics.
How he responds to sky-high expectations at the Olympics, in particular, could play a significant part in defining his legacy.
Sweden, in particular, needs everyone on their A-game to win the country's first gold medal in men's hockey since 2006 in Turin, Italy. From the first puck drop to Sweden's final game, Nylander will be looked to for timely scoring and playmaking. And yes, leadership is going to be something the Swedes turn to Nylander for as well.
And if Nylander's learned a thing or two about playing well in high-stakes moments in Toronto, he'll bring that experience and leadership.
Monday night against the Calgary Flames was a good example of what Sweden will need from Nylander. He put up three points – one goal and two assists – to give the Maple Leafs a large enough lead to hold off Calgary's comeback and win 4-2. And on Tuesday, Nylander provided the primary assist on John Tavares' goal, which held up as the game-winner against the Edmonton Oilers.
Despite no other player on the Maple Leafs averaging at least a point per game, including captain Auston Matthews, Nylander has 52 points in 40 games. He's even played 11 fewer games than Matthews and still has four more points.
Nylander also leads all Swedish NHL players in points per game, with 1.30. Only Detroit Red Wings right winger Lucas Raymond has more points, with 60.
Injuries have hampered Nylander significantly this year for one of the few times in his 11-season career, but if Nylander is now fully healthy, it showed this week.
And he has no problem being 'The Guy' for Team Sweden if that's what it takes to win gold.
"Yeah, I mean, I'm fine with that, and I'm happy to be in that position for sure," he told reporters last weekend, including The Hockey News' David Alter.
Nylander doesn't have to be the next coming of Mark Messier, guaranteeing wins and following through on them for Sweden and Toronto. But he has to break down opponents with his vision and craftiness with the puck, and do it relentlessly. He's shown good focus in Toronto, but the Olympics are a different beast. He cannot let up, or Sweden will be out of the tournament nearly as quickly as they were at the 4 Nations Face-Off, when two overtime losses cost them a place in the final.
Ultimately, this season, Nylander will be looking at watershed moments in his career. He's going to be under intense scrutiny the rest of the way with the Maple Leafs this season, and no late-season comeback will happen without Nylander contributing to it in a major way. And the same goes for him at the Olympics; if the Swedes don't get a standout showing from him, their odds of beating tournament co-favorites Canada and the United States drop precipitously.
From our vantage point, Nylander is a top-10 player in the world when he's at his best. But with great skill comes great responsibility, and Nylander is going to be tested by the best in the world in the weeks and months ahead. The way he responds to all that pressure will help define his hockey legacy.
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