The Florida Panthers are in a tough spot, trailing 0-2 in their second-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. A big reason for this is the outstanding performance of William Nylander, who has quietly become one of the Leafs’ top threats. With three goals and four points in two games, Nylander has taken full advantage of not facing Florida’s best defensive players, Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart. Now, the big question is: Should the Panthers shift their focus and assign Barkov to stop Nylander instead of Auston Matthews?
Nylander is Becoming the Leafs’ Biggest Threat
William Nylander has been on fire this series, and the numbers prove it. He’s tied for third in the NHL with 13 playoff points, just behind stars like Connor McDavid and Mikko Rantanen. While the Panthers have focused their top defensive forwards on Matthews and Mitch Marner, Nylander has taken full advantage of softer matchups. So far, Florida’s middle-six forwards haven’t been able to contain him.
Barkov, when asked about Nylander, said:
“He’s always been very skilled and talented… he can create something out of nothing.”
Clearly, Nylander is demanding attention—and fast.
Why Barkov vs. Nylander Makes Sense
Barkov is a Selke Trophy finalist and one of the NHL’s top two-way forwards. He’s used to handling elite matchups and can disrupt scoring threats with his smart play. Shifting Barkov’s line to face Nylander might help neutralize Toronto’s hottest player. With Reinhart and Verhaeghe on his wings, Barkov has the tools to slow Nylander down, especially at even strength where most damage has been done.
The Risk: Giving Matthews More Room
Here’s the downside—if Barkov moves to shadow Nylander, it opens up more space for Matthews and Marner. Even though Barkov has been matched against Matthews for over 24 minutes so far, he’s been outscored 3-0 during that time. That suggests Matthews is already winning the battle, and leaving him unchecked could make things worse.
So, the Panthers are caught between two difficult options: continue trying to contain Matthews (which hasn’t worked so far) or change strategy to stop Nylander before it’s too late.
The Panthers’ Offense Must Also Deliver
It’s not just about defence. Florida’s offense has also struggled. Their first line has only scored on the power play, and Reinhart still has zero points in this series. Meanwhile, the most effective Panthers line has been Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell, and Brad Marchand. That line has looked better than expected—even though they’ve spent most of their time against Nylander.
Changing matchups could disrupt that line’s rhythm. It could also reduce Florida’s overall scoring chances if Barkov is focused more on shutting down than creating offense.
Game 3 is a must-win for the Panthers, and head coach Paul Maurice must make a critical decision. Does he continue with Barkov shadowing Matthews, or shift him to handle Nylander, who’s been more dangerous so far? Both options have risks. But if Florida wants to flip this series around, stopping Nylander might be their best bet. Whatever the decision, it needs to be the right one—because the margin for error is gone.
