Former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube has offered his perspective on his relationship with star winger William Nylander, characterizing any on-ice or off-ice disagreements as a standard component of the game. Speaking recently, Berube stated that while he enjoyed coaching Nylander, there were bound to be "tough conversations" and "battles" due to the player's unique approach and the coach's desire for things to be done a certain way.
"He wants to do things a certain way and I want things done a certain way, so there's always a little bit of backlash from him either way," Berube explained, as quoted by Sportsnet. He emphasized that despite these moments, their relationship was ultimately good and that any perceived conflict was "part of hockey." Berube noted that he and Nylander were "OK with it, both of us" and that they moved past any issues the following day.
During their two seasons together under Berube's tenure, Nylander achieved significant offensive success, accumulating 75 goals and 163 points in 147 games, including a career-high 45 goals in the 2024-25 season. Berube expressed his enjoyment of coaching Nylander, acknowledging that working with special players requires effort and a willingness to adapt without fundamentally changing their established success. Berube's time with the Maple Leafs concluded following the 2025-26 season after the team missed the playoffs, leading to an organizational shift.
