Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander shared his thoughts on John Tavares taking a significant pay cut to remain in Toronto. Tavares signed a four-year, $17.55 million contract in June, carrying an annual cap hit of $4.39 million. It is a big drop from his previous seven-year, $77 million deal signed back in 2018. Speaking on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, Nylander reflected on Tavares’ decision to stay for less and highlighted the leadership and presence the Leafs’ captain continues to bring: "He's been an incredible leader for me, and I've learned a lot from him both on and off the ice. He's been great for the team and showed his commitment to wanting to wake up in Toronto. I think everybody on the team appreciates that a lot, that shows leadership for sure." Tavares' scored 38 goals and 74 points in 75 regular-season games last season. He also got seven points in 13 playoff games. Nylander further acknowledged the pressure of playing in Toronto, but expressed confidence in the team: "I think people forget that we, as players, also want to win. So, I mean, I think we have our goal to want to go all the way. I've been playing there for a while, but I don't know, I don't really think about what other people say or what their opinion is on how we're playing.” He recognized how tough the journey can be and highlighted the need to value the hard work it takes to finally reach that level of success. William Nylander on Mitch Marner leaving TorontoSpeaking at the NHL/NHLPA European Player Media Tour, William Nylander pushed back on the idea that Mitch Marner, who was traded to Vegas, had been planning his departure, saying that last season he was still focused on the Leafs despite his pending free agency. "I actually asked him during the season, and he said he was concentrating on Toronto. I didn't want to press him on that and let him be because it was obviously on his mind, but his play was focused on helping us," Nylander said via NHL.com. Nylander admitted it was tough to see his longtime teammate go but said he’s happy for Marner and the new opportunity in front of him. The two had been teammates since 2016 and built a close friendship together. How do you think the Toronto Maple Leafs will fare next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.