Fans have been furious following the Toronto Maple Leafs’ elimination from the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and analysts have slammed the team. Now, a new video of William Nylander during the Leafs’ Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers has everyone losing their minds.
The Maple Leafs’ playoff struggles continue. They haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967, and despite having one of the most talented rosters in the NHL—with a strong core of star players—they just can’t seem to get it done when it matters most.
Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares have played together for years, but they still haven’t brought the Maple Leafs anywhere close to a championship. Their performances in winner-take-all games have been especially poor. For example, Matthews and Marner have never scored a goal in a Game 7, despite each playing in six of them.
William Nylander slammed
Nylander recorded just six points in the series against the Panthers and failed to register a goal or assist in the final four games. Now, a clip from Game 7 has gone viral—sparking outrage over a questionable play.
With the Panthers leading 1–0, Nylander had a breakaway but couldn’t beat Sergei Bobrovsky. Instead of pressuring the puck or forechecking after the miss, he skated past the Panthers and headed straight to the bench for a line change. Social media erupted, with fans and commentators calling the play a symbol of the Leafs’ deeper issues.
“He only plays when the Leafs have the puck. The game’s not fun when the other team has it,” one person said.
“For anyone saying he was going for a change—sure, it’s a smart change in December. Not a smart change in a Game 7 in May,” another added.
“This is inexcusable,” a third wrote.
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