Toronto Maple Leafs: 5 bold predictions for 2019-20 season

By Simon Vacca | Jul 2, 2019

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 14: Mitch Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs plays the puck against Tyson Barrie #4 of the Colorado Avalanche during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on January 14, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /

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TORONTO, ON – APRIL 15: Toronto Maple Leafs Right Wing William Nylander (29) works the puck o the boards during Game 3 of the First round NHL Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs on April 15, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON.(Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. William Nylander can be an X-factor

The subject of perhaps the most infamous contract holdout in the history of professional hockey, William Nylander will look to rewrite his narrative when the 2019-20 campaign is set into motion.

Despite putting up some noteworthy advanced statistics, the right winger’s offensive output dwindled throughout the 54 games that he played. He notched just seven goals, 20 assists and 27 points — a sharp decline from the previous two seasons in which he tallied 61 points on a consecutive basis.

With a polarizing campaign behind him, Nylander shall be afforded a fresh slate — an opportunity to embrace the challenge of winning back public opinion by proving to the Toronto fans that he is worth the $41.77 million that he will be paid over the course of the next six years. Such a process promises to entail a high degree of difficulty, but he has already been proven to serve as a valuable element of Dubas’ core, especially when glued to Matthews’ side.

Expect Nylander to do everything he can to turn heads. The forward has the capacity to be one of the Maple Leafs’ cornerstone pieces, so look for him to act as such.

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