William Nylander shows his true colours before yesterday's pre-season opener
Sunday's game against the Ottawa Senators may have been just a meaningless pre-season game to some, but for William Nylander, it was an important one, as it was his first real test as a center against top competition. The Senators had dressed their full top line of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux on Sunday, while the Leafs dressed a mostly AHL/CHL roster, aside from the Knies, Nylander line.
Nylander also took shifts on the penalty kill on Sunday, which is something that is relatively new to him, aside from a handful of shifts early on last season. But even with his new assignments, it didn't prevent the 27-year-old from doing something he wasn't paid to do; helping the team's staff bring equipment into the building.
Honestly, this might seem fairly insignificant to some, but it's not everyday that you see NHL players help staff members move gear into the arena. It's even more rare to see a star like Nylander doing it.
You have to commend Nylander for showing his humble nature and helping the team's staff even though it wasn't his primary focus. Yes, it's only a pre-season game, but it also shows us a lot about Nylander's true character. Personally, I enjoyd this gesture. It really lends to the idea that he does indeed love it in Toronto and that he may be genuine in his expressed desire to remain a Leaf for a long time.
Previously on MapleLeafsDaily
POLL |
SEPTEMBRE 25 | 401 ANSWERS William Nylander shows his true colours before yesterday's pre-season opener Are you surprised by Nylander's humble nature with how big of a star he is? |
Yes, I loved to see it | 200 | 49.9 % |
No, it was pretty insignificant | 98 | 24.4 % |
Pay him his $10M. I've seen enough | 103 | 25.7 % |
List of polls |
|
5 hours ago | By TJ Tucker Leafs Blueliner Chris Tanev Snubbed Yet Again by Team Canada Amid Shea Theodore Injury |
|
8 hours ago | By TJ Tucker Following Heroic OT Winner for Canada, Mitch Marner Shows Why He's a Step Behind the Greats |
|
10 hours ago | By Mike Armenti Leafs' Auston Matthews Embraces Villain Role at 4 Nations Face-Off, Has Message for Boo Birds |
|
12 hours ago | By Nick Matthews Team Canada Coach Jon Cooper Makes It Very Clear How He Views Leafs Star Mitch Marner |
|
14 hours ago | By Nick Matthews Mitch Marner Shares Unexpected Remarks About Arguably the Leafs' Most Heated Rival, Brad Marchand |
|
15 hours ago | By Ryan Smitheram Brad Treliving Has a Chance to Reverse One of Kyle Dubas' Most Controversial Moves As Leafs GM |
|
17 hours ago | By Dean Chaudhry Report: The Flyers' Asking Price For Scott Laughton From the Maple Leafs Revealed |
|
18 hours ago | By Ryan Smitheram William Nylander Reveals Why He Chose to Represent Sweden Despite Being Born in Canada |