Maple Leafs Superstar William Nylander Heading Into 2025-26 Season With History on the Line

The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering a new era without Mitch Marner, which means the team's other superstars -- William Nylander and Auston Matthews -- will need to elevate their play and production.

For Nylander, that may not be much of a concern. He's coming off a career year in which he recorded his third straight 40-goal season and set a new personal best with 45 goals.

Now, Nylander is on the verge of making Swedish hockey history -- a milestone he could achieve as early as next season, especially given his knack for scoring in clutch moments.

As shared by LeafsLatest on X:

Nylander already made headlines in Sweden this offseason by winning the Golden Puck Award, given to the country's best hockey player of the year.

He earned the honour after his stellar 2024-25 campaign, which had him ranked 6th in the league among all wingers.

At just 29 years old, Nylander already ranks among the top Swedish-born players in NHL history. He currently sits 15th all-time in goals with 262. At the top of the list is Maple Leafs legend Mats Sundin, who finished his career with 564.

Given Nylander's pace and consistency, he could soon surpass Daniel Sedin for the overtime goals record while also climbing higher on the all-time Swedish goal list. Who knows, if he can continue at this level, Nylander might even challenge fellow Maple Leaf great Mats Sundin as the top Swedish scorer in NHL history by the end of his career.