News Article: Nylander on if he is proud of anything he accomplished this season: “I’ll be proud when we f****** win.”

[HockeyVirus]

Has William Nylander found his swagger in time for the playoffs?

William Nylander appears to have broken out of a late-season slump and set career bests in a number of offensive categories.

theathletic.com

Great article from him and on his season, his mentality and growth as a player in finding consistency.

He hit new personal bests in goals, assists, points, five-on-five goals, five-on-five points, power-play assists. He’s fired almost 300 shots, another career high. Of course, like Matthews, Marner, and Tavares especially, his season will be judged almost entirely on whether he gets it done in the playoffs.


Which he seems well aware of. Asked if he was proud of anything he had accomplished this season, Nylander responded, “I’ll be proud when we f****** win.”

Click to read more...

 

[WTFMAN99]

Kinda like when they asked Kobe / Kawhi how they feel about where they're at leading in a big series...you know they didn't win shit yet and they do too.

 

[Trapper]

End quote. Good boy Willy. So will we.

 

[BTP]

Good

 

[Gabriel426]

That’s the mentality of a winner.

 

[TheGreatOne11]

Trust me. This isn't just Nylander's mentality. The entire team is sick and tired of being losers. This is why I think it could be different, we have the pieces, the boys are now men, we picked up good deadline acquisitions, it's all or nothing this season and our mentality needs to be that of a hungry wolf, whatever it takes to eat.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Trust me. This isn't just Nylander's mentality. The entire team is sick and tired of being losers. This is why I think it could be different, we have the pieces, the boys are now men, we picked up good deadline acquisitions, it's all or nothing this season and our mentality needs to be that of a hungry wolf, whatever it takes to eat.

Agreed I think there are two things at play.

1 - The boys are even sicker than the fans of hearing about how they suck and are chokers/losers and their accomplishments mean shit

and

2 - This has always been a team who has played their best when they have pressure on them. And by that I mean when they look like they are going to have an easy win they suck and when they know a game will be hard they show up.

Given they all know a loss this year is the end of management, coaches, and the core.. I think the desperation will truly show this year

 

[Cleetus]

I love this from William guy is going to be dialed in, and be a beast come game1!

 

[ACC1224]

I'll be proud of you when you finish a check.

 

[JKG33]

I'll be proud of you when you finish a check.

This. It's one thing to say the right thing. But then follow it up on the ice

 

[notbias]

This. It's one thing to say the right thing. But then follow it up on the ice

Ah yes, the way to tell if Nylander is committed is through his hits.

Holl and Matthews must get a lot of praise from you for the past couple oof years of playoffs.

Always nice to see the regular gang turn anything positive into a negative.

 

[leafsfan5]

This. It's one thing to say the right thing. But then follow it up on the ice

He does follow it up on the ice. He's paid to score and he has 8 goals in his last 14 playoff games

 

[JKG33]

He does follow it up on the ice. He's paid to score and he has 8 goals in his last 14 playoff games

Great for him. Now look at someone like Kucherov. He's paid to score, but he still manages to run around being one of the bigger pieces of shit in the league come playoff time. Nothing insanely suspension-worthy dirty, but he walks that line.

The "big 4" need to start playing like that

 

[Stephen]

I hope we use the Tampa game as a springboard for an LA Kings style run in 2012. Just lay waste to the league this playoffs, win that cup and shut everyone up.

 

[Antropovsky]

I'll be proud of you when you finish a check.

But you don't care that Marner doesn't?

 

[Clyde Brewer]

Nylander had been a good performer last couple playoffs, hopefully he can even raise his performance a level this year.

GLG!

 

[Maple Leaf]

hopefully styles can get going here

 

[mikeyz]

Trust me. This isn't just Nylander's mentality. The entire team is sick and tired of being losers. This is why I think it could be different, we have the pieces, the boys are now men, we picked up good deadline acquisitions, it's all or nothing this season and our mentality needs to be that of a hungry wolf, whatever it takes to eat.

I am sorry but I don’t believe it right now. They have to prove it to me. I have been hearing this for 6 years in a row.

f***ing do it on the ice.

 

[3blizzard4]

It’s amazing that all these years playing and he has managed to avoid a scrum. That’s gotta be record.

Only once I have seen him show some
Emotion and that was this season when he punched the guy behind the net.

All that skill and talent but zero emotion.

Let’s hope this playoffs there is more hunger.

 

[Skullz]

Love Willy. Lets GO.

 

[LeafGrief]

The participation trophy in the NHL is the paycheck. The playoffs are where glory lies.

Our boys have the accolades and the individual trophies. They have the franchise records and the advertising deals. The only thing left to achieve is playoff success and glory. If you want a spot in the rafters or on Legends Row, you need to win when it counts for all the marbles.

I think last year they had the gut check, and even though they get clowned on for "respect in the handshake line", I have always taken that as a sign that they understood what needed to be done. They have to know that if they don't get it done this year big changes are coming. You don't get to be one of the best hockey players in the world by not being hungry, you don't get there by resting on your laurels. The tools for success have always been there, but they've never been able to tap into the fire they needed. Maybe desperation will be the key ingredient. It often is.

Go get 'em Willy.

 

[LeafSteel]

Nylander has that biting into tinfoil grit to him, and he's always showed up for the playoffs.

I like the mindset, and I hope it's the same from our roster, top to bottom. I can imagine how sick and tired all our core players have to be of being called chokers and having an outstanding season not count for a damn thing.

If we think we are invested as fans, imagine how disappointed they are when all their effort, work, and give a damn turns out to be for nothing, and then they get slagged in the media, by the fanbase, and everywhere else for being losers.

Hoping this is the year that anger and effort translates into a deep playoff run.

 

[Menzinger]

Nylander has the PASSION

 

[IPS]

Great for him. Now look at someone like Kucherov. He's paid to score, but he still manages to run around being one of the bigger pieces of shit in the league come playoff time. Nothing insanely suspension-worthy dirty, but he walks that line.

The "big 4" need to start playing like that

I don't think we're losing playoff series' because Nylander isn't finishing checks.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

It’s amazing that all these years playing and he has managed to avoid a scrum. That’s gotta be record.

Only once I have seen him show some
Emotion and that was this season when he punched the guy behind the net.

All that skill and talent but zero emotion.

Let’s hope this playoffs there is more hunger.

What a terrible take