Two Toronto Maple Leafs veterans continue to lead the way offensively in the final games of a lost season. Their consistency can set a new precedent in Toronto.
Just a year ago, a battle between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers was must-see television.
But with both teams hoping the 2025-26 season is a one-off, it made for a fairly monotone game.
There's not a lot to feel good about in Leafs Land besides draft lottery odds after they suffered their fifth straight loss at the hands of the Florida Panthers 6-2 on Saturday.
The Maple Leafs have integrated several young prospects into the lineup late in the season, such as Jacob Quillan, Luke Haymes, Artur Akhtyamov and William Villeneuve.
But it wasn't the rookies who stood out against the Panthers. It was veteran stars William Nylander and John Tavares.
Nylander scored each of the Maple Leafs' goals, firing shots into the top corner on Daniil Tarasov's glove hand in the second period.
The tallies give Nylander 28 goals and 75 points in 63 games this season.
Nylander missed 17 games earlier this season with various lower-body issues. If he had played every game this year, his pace would have put him on track to notch 36 goals and 97 points.
The 29-year-old has become a model of consistency for the Maple Leafs, reversing the negative connotation that once surrounded him earlier in his career.
Since the 2021-22 campaign, Nylander has posted at least 30 goals, and three of those seasons saw him eclipse 40 goals. He's also recorded at least 80 points in each season, and he once tallied 98 points.
Nylander has worked hard to improve on elements that plagued his game early in his career. Including his consistency, Nylander worked to add muscle and be a threat in front of the net.
As a result, his production has continued to skyrocket because he can be effective in different ways.
His teammates have praised his leadership qualities throughout the season, and when the Maple Leafs needed a spark, Nylander stepped up.
"His ability to take over a game is something that, when you're on the bench and you get to watch first hand, it's something special," said teammate Michael Pezzetta. "There's not too many players like that. It's just fun watching him play hockey."
On several occasions, Nylander has repeated his commitment to the Maple Leafs. Throughout their struggles this season, the eighth overall pick in the 2014 NHL draft has said he has no plans to leave and, prior to that, signed a max-term deal.
John Tavares is the only player to have appeared in every Maple Leafs game this season, while William Nylander leads the squad in scoring. (Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)Nylander may have learned a thing or two from his linemate, Tavares, who might be the poster boy of consistency in the NHL.
With an assist on Nylander's first goal, Tavares hit the 70-point mark for the ninth time in his NHL career.
Since Tavares entered the league, only Sidney Crosby (12), Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Artemi Panarin, and Alex Ovechkin (10) have reached 70 points in a season more than Tavares has.
The 35-year-old may not have any 50-goal or 100-point campaigns under his belt, but he's been the captain of two NHL franchises, won gold medals with Canada at multiple levels, and has scored 20 goals in all but the shortened 2020-21 COVID-19 season.
Despite his age and the continuous belief that he will begin to decline, Tavares keeps on chugging, doing so the way he has been his entire career: winning puck battles, scoring in tight and winning faceoffs.
"That line was our best offensive line," Berube said about the Tavares, Nylander and Matias Maccelli line. "They had a lot of opportunities, got us a couple of goals while we were on the power play."
It's hard to play games at their top competitive level when games don't matter in the playoff race, but Nylander and Tavares are attempting to set a new precedent in Toronto.
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