Maple Leafs Winger William Nylander Fires Back After Berube's Tough Love

After Monday's loss and pointed criticism from Craig Berube, William Nylander responded on Tuesday night with an empty-net tally and two assists in the Toronto Maple Leafs' eventual 7-4 victory over the Nashville Predators.

He fired four shots on goal, more than his total across the previous three games, while also nearly doubling his season output in points as well.

The fiery bench boss was initially stumped at his lacklustre play to start the season and demanded a lot more from his superstar winger in the hopes of reigniting the flame - which worked to a tee.

After the game, Berube credited Nylander for his strong two-way game, which was backed up by his glowing comments.

This marks a swift shift from his earlier demands for more intensity and shot volume.

While some might have been ready to push the panic button, it shouldn't come as a surprise that his teammates had his back, including line-mate John Tavares.

The former captain emphasized a turnaround was on it's way due to Nylander being his own toughest critic, while also having a proven ability to bounce back. That level of support was probably the kick in the pants Nylander needed to get back into the zone and produce.

Nylander will look to continue off of his strong performance his next time out when the Leafs host the New York Rangers on Thursday night. With Nylander back in Berube's good books and showing aggressive shot selection, Toronto's offense could be gaining momentum at a crucial time in the early going.

Nylander's immediate response under scrutiny shows the kind of impact elite players can have when challenged, and fans will be looking for more of the same in foreseeable future.