Going into the 4 Nations Face-Off, Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander is considered Sweden’s MVP and one who can make the biggest impact.
Being paired up on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Rickard Rakell, who are expected to account for a good chunk of their offence, Nylander is in a prime position to be one of the standouts at the tournament, given how much he cherishes the opportunity to represent his country. He is at the peak of his powers and should have no trouble carrying over his success with the Leafs so far into this short tournament.
Tampa Bay Lightning and Sweden captain Victor Hedman spoke with the Toronto Star’s Kevin McGran after Tuesday’s practice, and he praised his fellow countrymen for his raw talent and game-breaking abilities.
“He is a difference maker, a game changer, a guy who can win the game by himself,” he said. “Nothing gets to him. That’s the way he plays the game. He plays with high intensity, and I think he puts a lot of pressure on himself to be the difference-maker every time he steps on the ice.”
Any Leafs fan knows that when the stakes are high, they can count on Nylander being able to come through with a big goal. Look no further than his two-goal performance in Game 6 against the Boston Bruins, along with his icebreaker in Game 7. Although his teammates could not push it over the line in that series, the reason they lost was not because of Nylander.
That’s why Sweden head coach Sam Hallam wants to see the Leafs’ star winger shoot the lights out because he knows what kind of impact Nylander can bring in high-stakes games, as well as his mentality.
“He’s an extremely talented player. But he’s also a calm, friendly guy in the room, respectful,” he said. “He’s always wanting to play for the national team. The swagger he carries around is great for us. Any team would like to have him on their team.”
One thing you can expect during the Four Nations is that Nylander will get at least one breakaway in each game. He seems to have one every other night for the Leafs so far this season, and there is a good chance that the puck will end up in the back of the net.
With his calmness, high awareness, and prowess to get the goalie to guess, it would not be a shock if Nylander was able to get at least one goal via a breakaway chance.
“He’s good at anticipating,” said Auston Matthews, Leafs and USA captain. “The second the puck is turned over, he’s pushing the pace. He’s getting out of the zone, and he’s obviously a dangerous player one-on-one with the goalie. I like his chances when he gets one of those.”
As for the man himself, he is a guy who has long proven that nothing seems to phase him. No spotlight is too bright for Nylander to handle, and he can focus squarely on the task at hand to give it his all and put on a show when his team needs it the most. It’s why he has been able to handle all that comes with being a Leaf so well and why he is more than comfortable with committing to the team for the next seven years after this one.
Nylander always considered himself to be Swedish and never considered the idea of playing for Canada, even though the option was there for him. And that is a good thing for Tre Kronor because of how much he enjoys playing for his country.
“I appreciate that. That’s a lot of pressure, so I’ve got to get going. I’m really excited to get out there and play. I just look at this as a super fun opportunity,” he said. “If you’re playing against the best players in the world on Team Canada, obviously you’re feeling something — excited, a little nervous, that’s just natural.”
“I like feeling like that. I think it’s good.”
Nylander and Sweden will open the 4 Nations on Wednesday when they take on Mitch Marner and Canada at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST.
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