Marlies coach: Nylander needs to be more competitive

Toronto Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe needs more from William Nylander.

The 20-year-old, who was drafted eighth overall by the Maple Leafs in 2014, recorded an impressive 45 points in 38 regular season games for the AHL club this season, but his postseason performance has left something to be desired.

So says Keefe, who spoke about Nylander directly following a Game 6 loss to the Albany Devils on Saturday.

"We need (Nylander) to be a lot more competitive with and without the puck," Keefe told reporters. "Right now, he's 'foot off the gas' quite a bit when we don't have the puck, and as a result we're not getting it nearly enough when he's out there and he's not able to use his strength."

Keefe added Nylander is one of many players that need to step up in order for the Marlies to come out on top in Game 7.

Toronto finished with a league-high 114 points this season, and a second-round loss would be a huge disappointment for a club with serious Calder Cup aspirations.