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Maple Leafs’ William Nylander gets brutally honest about Marc Savard firing
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- Maple Leafs’ William Nylander gets brutally honest about Marc Savard firing
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The Maple Leafs faced mounting pressure entering Christmas week, and that pressure only grew on Monday when the team fired assistant coach Marc Savard , whose power play ranked last in the NHL. Toronto 's man-advantage unit was converting at roughly 13 percent, producing just 12 goals despite ample opportunities, including a 0-for-10 stretch over three games that preceded Savard's dismissal. Hired in June 2024, Savard's exit was the first major coaching change of the 2025-26 season for the club.
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Less than 24 hours later, the Maple Leafs responded with a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Scotiabank Arena, ending a three-game losing streak. The victory improved Toronto's record to 16-15-5 and provided short-term relief for a team sitting near the bottom of the Atlantic Division. For all the scoring, the power play was still a letdown, going 0-for-2 and showing there's still a lot of work to do.
Toronto forward William Nylander was at the center of it all in the win and afterward, turning in one of his best performances of the season with two goals and two assists. It was his first multi-point performance with more than two points since Nov. 3, and it ended an 11-game goal drought that dated back to late November. He opened the scoring early in the first period and secured the game with an empty-net goal.
Addressing Savard's firing, Nylander was completely blunt .
"Obviously, he was a great guy and sad to see him go," said Nylander. "But I mean, we've been struggling. So I guess that's the first step to make a change that will work for the team."
The team hasn't always been consistent, but Nylander's production has been there more often than not. In 32 games, he has recorded 13 goals and 27 assists.
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After Savard's dismissal, questions arose about head coach Berube 's status, but general manager Brad Treliving moved promptly to quell rumors, publicly affirming on Tuesday that Berube's job is secure, expressing his full support. Berube owns a 68-41-9 record as Toronto's head coach, though the team sits five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot and 23rd overall in the league standings.
With Savard gone, Derek Lalonde has been assigned responsibility for the power play. The Leafs now head into the holiday break with some momentum from their win over the Penguins and will look to carry it into their next matchup against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday at 7 p.m. EST.
Related: Maple Leafs' Chris Tanev returning from injury vs. Penguins
Related: Maple Leafs rumors: 1 firing just happened. Are Craig Berube, Brad Treliving next?
