“He’s quite the guy”: Coach Craig Berube shares funny stories about William Nylander

Craig Berube, coach of the Maple Leafs, is now sharing more insight into his relationship with star player William Nylander, after making a podcast appearance on the Nasty Knuckles podcast in May 2025. Coach Berube expressed himself in a clearly jovial and open manner, revealing all the ways he connects with Nylander in as many ways on the ice and off the ice.On May 24, 2025, Craig Berube appeared on the Nasty Knuckles hockey podcast to discuss being the coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was his first season as coach of the Maple Leafs and he had much to reflect on. During the podcast they discussed his working relationship with William Nylander, the Swedish winger, who is now 28 years old. During the 2024-25 season, Nylander had the best year of his NHL career, scoring a career best 45 goals, while Berube was coaching him.Craig Berube referred to Nylander as a "good teammate and a good guy." He did mention that he enjoyed coaching Nylander. Berube was quoted saying, "He wants to win. Like everyone else, we all have things we want to improve and we'll ask more of him like the others."In May 2024, the Maple Leafs brought in Berube to serve as the coach after dismissing Sheldon Keefe after another first-round playoff exit. There were doubts from the start of how players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander would take to Berube, who during his playing career was a hard-hitting enforcer. As a coach, however, Craig Berube has been a soothing, steady presence to whoever he has under his charge.Also Read: Craig Berube Unlocks Secret Edge That Changes Everything For Maple LeafsCraig Berube also shared a few funny stories that showed the lighter side of his relationship with William Nylander. He said Nylander often walks into the locker room in a muscle shirt, with earrings and messy hair. “He’s quite the guy,” Berube laughed on the podcast.He also shared a moment during a game when Nylander missed a scoring chance. “I said, ‘You shot it right into the goalie’s glove!’ and he said, ‘Well, I wasn’t out there early enough. I wasn’t warmed up.’” Berube laughed, calling Nylander “a beauty” for always having a comeback.These small exchanges have helped build a strong and relaxed connection between the coach and the player. Berube joked earlier this season that sometimes he just lets Nylander “do his thing,” and it seems to be working well.Nylander was one of the Leafs’ top performers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. While the team didn’t go all the way, Berube and Nylander’s bond could be a big part of the future in Toronto.