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TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter

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TORONTO – Since the NHL’s all-star break, winning hasn't come easily for the Maple Leafs. 

Toronto has posted a 2-3-2 record to start the condensed second half of their schedule, which boasts 35 games in 69 days. When the team convened for a rare full practice Monday at MasterCard Centre, a slogan that had adorned the walls all season - "Heart and Drive Lives Here" - was gone.

Now scrawled in thin blue letters above each wall of player stalls is the phrase “Play Fast. Play Right.”

“I came up with what we had on the wall this summer,” Babcock said. “I’m always waiting each year for us to come up with a way of playing that’s going to be something you can hang your hat on. I think when we play right we can play real fast. I think when we don’t play right we look like snails out there.”

The timing of the alteration is interesting to be sure, and it may have gone undetected even a few weeks ago. Toronto is currently at the centre of an air-tight Eastern Conference playoff race, while looking dangerously close to falling into a full-blown slump. The team hasn't posted back-to-back wins since late January.

“It’s like anything – we’re all in this together,” Babcock said. “When we play well, all get the credit. When we play poorly, we all get the blame. Sometimes when things are going good, you think you’re better than you are. Sometimes when things are going bad, you think you’re worse than you are. It’s probably somewhere in between.”

William Nylander can play as fast and as well as anyone on Toronto’s roster – playing right more consistently has been the challenge. Nylander’s elite offensive skill set is well-documented, and he’s put it to good use this season. He’s fifth on the team in scoring with 36 points (third among NHL rookies) and paces all Maple Leafs in power-play points (16).

But poor play on the defensive side of the puck has plagued an otherwise strong campaign.

Citing a need for a better all-around effort from Nylander, Babcock put him on the fourth line in late November. The message was clearly received. With Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews surging around him, Nylander modified his game in order to join them.

“I don’t think it’s hard to adjust [defensively], it’s just how much you want to do it,” said Leo Komarov, one third of Toronto’s shutdown line with Nylander and Nazem Kadri. “Willy’s working harder now in the d-zone, and that’s the most important thing. You’re always going to be able to get your points, but you have to be working hard everywhere and he’s doing way better now.”

A minus-4 player on the season, Nylander has been a minus in only four of his last 12 games. He looks more confident down low and in puck battles and gets beat less frequently along the boards.

“He’s been a lot more responsible, he really competes on the walls,” said Kadri. “He’s got great skill, so he can oftentimes outsmart guys who are a lot bigger than him. I only see him getting better in the future.”

It was only last season that Kadri began dialling in on his own defensive game, and Komarov has been a factor in his development too. On Saturday, Babcock noted Komarov was “probably on [William] like a rash to do things right” when the two were engaged in constant conversation on the bench. Despite their age difference – Komarov is 30 – they’re close off the ice as well.

“[Leo]’s been guiding me and giving me some pointers about where I need to be in the d-zone,” Nylander said. “You’re working on being better so every day is a new learning experience. You have to play good defence to win the game so I think that’s important.”

While Babcock still sees Nylander as a centre in the NHL one day, he offered no timetable on when he'll be ready. Until then, Nylander has the resources he needs to finally get his game right. 

“I wouldn’t say I’m his mentor so much as I’m just trying to help our line play better,” Komarov said. “He obviously knows how to play, but the way we want to play with [Kadri], we want [William] to be doing the same thing [defensively]. He’s been getting better, he’s asking a lot of questions and I’m just trying to show him what to do.”