William Nylander missed the beginning of last season while in a contract dispute with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Upon his return to the lineup in December, he meshed an understandable month-long slump (as he got up to NHL speed) with a three month-long run of bad luck that put his stock among Leafs fans in the toilet.
Despite a team high possession rating, stats that put him among the league leaders in zone entries and exits, and leading the NHL in on-ice scoring chances per minute, Nylander’s season was done in by bad linemates and an obscenely low shooting percentage.