According to Elliotte Friedman, William Nylander and Craig Berube share a genuine mutual respect. They’re often seen laughing and talking during practices, showing that their relationship is far from tense. But beneath that levity lies a more intense layer. This season, the two have argued more than in years past, not in a destructive way, but in a competitive, push-each-other-to-be-better way. Nylander has had an outstanding start to the season, being Toronto’s most productive player. So far, he has totaled 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points.
On Friday’s edition of 32 Thoughts the Podcast, Friedman even compared it to a famous moment between Nathan MacKinnon and former Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar. Once the two had a heated exchange, but then Gabriel Landeskog stepped in. Arguments, when productive, can be part of a winning culture as the Avalanche won a Stanley Cup with those exact characters.
Conflict Is Fine If It Serves the Team
One key point Friedman emphasized is that arguments are only acceptable if they’re genuinely rooted in what’s best for the team. For that to work, there has to be a balance, both the coach and the player need to give and take. It can’t turn into one-sided criticism or one-sided emotion. What makes the Berube–Nylander dynamic stand out is that both are willing to listen and adjust, not just fire back or shut down. That mutual willingness is what turns tense moments into productive ones.
Nylander and Berube can’t lose respect for each other. By doing this, it can push Nylander to play better, which we saw against the Blue Jackets. Nylander and Berube got into an argument during the third period, which saw Nylander sit out a couple of shifts. When Nylander got his chance back out on the ice, that very shift, he set up the game-tying goal. Then later in overtime, he scored the game-winning goal.
Incident with Sheldon Keefe
Nylander has been coached hard before in his time in Toronto. Being that this isn’t the first time Nylander has had a coach push him, it can be seen as a learning experience. Sheldon Keefe coached Nylander aggressively at both the AHL and NHL levels. However, Keefe typically did it privately behind closed doors, because Nylander handled that approach well.
One recurring theme is that Nylander’s famously chill, laid-back personality can drive coaches a little crazy. His calm demeanour sometimes appears like indifference, even though teammates and coaches know he’s highly competitive.
The Leafs Once Protected Nylander’s Image
Friedman revealed a lesser-known story involving the Prime Video “All or Nothing” documentary. At the time, the Maple Leafs, Nylander’s agent, and even the NHLPA pushed to remove certain footage that portrayed Nylander in a negative light. The concern was that it would create a distorted public image, not reflective of who he actually is.
It shows how protective the organization once was of Nylander’s reputation and how much they wanted to shield him from unnecessary scrutiny.
A Healthy, Honest Partnership Moving Forward
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