How Leafs' Auston Matthews, William Nylander are responding to increased ice time
Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller has been giving his two biggest stars more ice than they've had before.
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The Jim Hiller effect is having an impact on Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.
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With 12 points in seven games to begin the 2026-27 regular season, Matthews is producing at a 144-point pace over 84 games.
Is that sustainable? That’s a silly question because no, it’s not.
There’s no question, though, that provided he stays healthy, Matthews is in line to put up the third 100-point season of his National Hockey League career.
Hiller, hired to coach the Leafs in June following the firing of Craig Berube, knows a good thing when he sees one.
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With the Buffalo Sabres arriving at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday as the Leafs begin a three-game home stand, Matthews is playing more than he ever has before.
The 29-year-old is averaging 21 minutes 55 seconds a game — nearly two minutes more than his career average of 19 minutes 58 seconds. Only once in his NHL career — in 2020-21, when he played 21 minutes 33 seconds a game — has Matthews averaged more than 21 minutes.
What’s more, at five-on-five, Matthews is starting 62.1% of his shifts in the offensive zone. In two years under Berube, Matthews averaged 54.2% in that situation.
Where does Nylander factor in the ice-time change?
Something similar is happening with William Nylander who, like Matthews, has five goals and seven assists through seven games.
Nylander’s career ice-time average a game is 17 minutes 57 seconds and he has not averaged more than 20 minutes in one season. Right now, he’s at 20 minutes 24 seconds.
There are plenty of areas where the Leafs, a middling 3-3-1 going into a home stand that also includes visits by the New York Islanders and San Jose Sharks, need to better. Defensively, and we mean in all three zones, there’s lots of space for improvement.
When it comes to the Leafs’ two best players, however, there are no questions.
Hiller is riding his two superstars and they’re responding well.
That’s a good thing.
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