Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe hinted at the possibility of William Nylander returning to the lineup for tomorrow’s game, although he refrained from providing specific details regarding Nylander’s absence from practice on Friday. Keefe’s comments came amidst a directive from General Manager Brad Treliving to withhold injury updates during the playoffs. At best, Nylander is a maybe as the Leafs begin their playoff series with the Bruins on Saturday.
Nylander’s uncertain status brings with it some concern as the Maple Leafs open up the 2023-24 season against the Boston Bruins on Saturday. Fellow teammate Calle Jarnkrok got Nylander’s power play minutes at practice but acknowledged Nylander will be nearly impossible to replace. He expressed uncertainty about Nylander’s situation. If Nylander can’t go, it will be Morgan Rielly, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares along with Jarnkrok on the first unit.
Maple Leafs Keeping Nylander News Close to the Vest
Nylander’s absence from practice, though potentially precautionary, sparked speculation about his availability for the upcoming game. Nylander hasn’t finished the season as strongly as he started it, but played significant minutes in the team’s recent regular season games. A late injury would be unfortunate news, to say the least.
Nylander ended the regular season with an impressive 40 goals and 58 assists for a total of 98 points. A productive Nylander will be key to the team’s postseason success, especially against a Bruins team Toronto has trouble beating.
Meanwhile, Bobby McMann was also missing from Friday’s skate as he continues to battle a lower-body injury. He missed the final two regular-season games, but posted 15 goals and nine assists for 24 points in 56 appearances.
Next: Predicting Maple Leafs’ Defensive Lineup: Game 1 of the Playoffs
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