Days after gutting elimination, William Nylander's sister Ella reminisces 2025 Maple Leafs playoffs experience

William Nylander and the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in seven games during the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. On Tuesday, Nylander’s sister, Ella, shared a photo carousel on her Instagram recapping the Leafs' playoff experience.

One of the pictures showed Ella standing on a subway platform in Toronto, holding a brown shopping bag. She wore a long-sleeved black top tucked into high-waisted, light blue jeans and paired the look with bright red pointed heels.

Another short clip captured the atmosphere inside Scotiabank Arena as the Leafs battled it out during a home playoff game against the Panthers. She had also snapped a picture of Maple Leafs-themed snacks, including white chocolate popcorn and cupcakes neatly arranged with team-logo stickers on the package.

“💙🤍missing @mapleleafs hockey a lil extra today,” Ella captioned the post.

In another click, Ella looked down at her red heels and jeans while carrying a brown paper bag filled with more treats on the subway.

One image featured a William Nylander jersey on display at Real Sports Apparel surrounded by Leafs gear under bright blue lighting. Another picture showed Ella in a mirror selfie holding a balloon, with a full snack setup nearby, including Mini Eggs and Leafs-branded popcorn bags.

The next story was a close-up of a blue Leafs Playoffs balloon floating in the corner of a room. The last slide was a short clip featuring a “Toronto Maple Leafs Bring Passion” rally towel at the arena.

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William Nylander opens up on living his ‘dream’ in Toronto

During the season-exit interview, William Nylander reflected on the experience of playing in Toronto and the pressure that comes with it. The Leafs forward claimed that he is used to it since it’s the only NHL environment he has ever known.

He shared that playing for the Maple Leafs has always been a dream and that the organization has made him feel at home.

“Yeah, I mean, just playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, I mean, it’s been a dream,” Nylander said. “Um, I think every kid wishes that they could play for such an organization like this, and I mean, the team and the—I mean, just the organization, everybody here has just made it a home for me.

“And that’s why I love being here every day and, you know, battling it out for the Maple Leafs.”

Nylander was also asked if the core of the team deserves another chance. He mentioned that he feels it does since they took the Cup champions to seven games and have grown stronger through the challenges they have faced together.