He's spent a lot of those games playing centre between Marleau and Brown, who are next to useless and he gets 2nd PP unit time. His production isn't anything to write home about, I'm well aware, but his actual play has been great. It's why the new Nylander line is so funny. He's been engaging in puck battles and taking hits to make plays. He's been working hard in the defensive end (both as a winger and C). He's been taking the puck to the scoring areas. All the normal criticisms of soft, bad defensively, and a perimieter player haven't applied.
Yeah, his production hasn't been up to his standards, but when he's been playing this well and has 5a in his last 4 games why the hell should we be worried about him? A player putting in this much work is going to be rewarded on the scoresheet eventually, and it looks like it's finally starting to come.