Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe publicly criticizes William Nylander for his performance in loss to Colorado Avalanche

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe criticized the team's recent 5-3 defeat to the Colorado Avalanche. He specifically called out William Nylander for his game.

The game held at Scotiabank Arena served as a reminder of the Leafs' ongoing struggles with maintaining consistency and finishing strong.

In the post-game interview, Keefe pointed out Nylander's performance. This is uncommon, as he usually refrains from openly criticizing individual players.

“I just thought gotten our best people together and going best on best," Keefe said, "Give us a chance to keep the puck away from those guys little bit more, could help us at the same time kinda get more out of Willi (William Nylander), because Willi on his line was not good.”

Keefe also highlighted the ineffectiveness of Nylander's line:

“That line is not good for us at all tonight. I don't know if they had, they had not had one good shift that I can remember, so I had to Willi away from that, so all those kinda fit.”

Nylander, known for his offensive prowess, is expected to be a difference-maker on the ice. Keefe's comments suggest he has high expectations of him.

Maple Leafs commit to William Nylander with a staggering $92 million contract extension

On Monday, Jan. 8, The Toronto Maple Leafs announced a move to secure the future of their star winger, William Nylander. The team signed him to an eight-year, $92 million contract extension, making it the most expensive contract in the Maple Leafs' history.

This lucrative contract will come into effect next season and comes with an Average Annual Value (AAV) of $11.5 million. This provides Nylander stability and shows the team’s long-term commitment to him.

One feature of Nylander’s contract is it has a No-Movement Clause that covers its entire duration. This clause gives Nylander added security and control over his playing situation.