Former NHL coach Dallas Eakins has been impressed with the growth and maturity of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2025 Playoffs.

In a tightly contested Game 2 against the Florida Panthers, the Leafs never faltered when things weren’t clicking and kept the pedal to the metal. They were ultimately rewarded with the lead late in the contest and were able to hang on to secure a 2-0 series lead.

Eakins made an appearance on Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill on Thursday, where he highlighted that the presence of head coach Craig Berube has had a massive impact on keeping the Leafs composed in high-intensity games.

“That comes from the players, too,” he said. “ Think about it in the past.  If that had been two or three years ago, it would’ve been Will Ferrell in the locker room ‘Keep our composure, we gotta keep our composure,’ like going crazy.  And now, Chief brings a massive level of composure.”

That seems to have rubbed off on the players well and has resulted in a drastic change in their mentality. For instance, Mitch Marner told reporters after the game that he tries to stay calm and present in the moment, which paid off as he would go on to score the game-winner. And despite the team not playing at their best, Max Pacioretty felt the Leafs were never deterred by the setbacks and stuck with it, which helped out big time.

One player in particular who oozes composure in Eakin’s mind is William Nylander, who has been on a heater for three straight games.

“ I think like Willie Nylander style,  you can’t rattle that guy,” he said. “ He is just a dude all night long.  It’s so much fun to watch a guy like that who can really go about his business in a certain mindset, seem very loose, but in intense in the same breath. It’s fun to watch.”

It is true that Nylander has always had it in him to be a playoff performer, as he has consistently proven every spring to elevate his game when the lights shine bright. He has taken the losses in years past hard, and that’s why you rarely blame him for the Leafs failing to advance in the postseason in the seasons leading up to this year.

What he has not had prior to this spring is a coach who understands him and values what he brings despite the flaws in his game. And it has seemed to bring out the best in Nylander in the early going, as he is currently second in playoff scoring behind only Mikko Rantanen.

“Just leave him alone,” Berube said of Nylander. “Nothing gets to him. He doesn’t feel pressure, and I could be wrong, but this is what I see. There’s no too big a stage for this guy; he thrives on this stuff, in my opinion, he looks forward to it, and he wants to be in on those critical situations. When he smells something, he’s there. That goal is as high-end as it can get, in my opinion, with hands.”

You can watch the full segment with Eakins down below: