The Toronto Maple Leafs do are officially without William Nylander for Sunday night’s divisional game in Detroit against the Red Wings. Nylander left Saturday night’s win over Ottawa early in the second period after appearing to adjust something in his left leg while battling for a loose puck with Senators defenseman Artem Zub in front of the net.
The video of whatever injured Nylander didn’t show much other than him awkwardly leaving the ice. He never played another shift and finished the game with just 8:25 of ice time. Before his injury, he had scored a goal with a slick backhand that beat Linus Ullmark.
After a three-game absence, Easton Cowan will return to the lineup. The hope is that he can step in effectively as Nylander’s absence creates a temporary hole for a Toronto team in need of points. They are not in a comfortable position to call themselves a lock for the playoffs.
Before this latest injury, Nylander had 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) in just 33 games played.
William Nylander’s prospects are improving
The good news is that Nylander was listed as day-to-day and the injury does not appear to be too serious. According to head coach Craig Berube, this is not a long-term issue. The very fact that Nylander traveled to Detroit with the team was an encouraging sign.
Berube didn’t sound too concerned that the issue would keep him sidelined for long.
That said, the Maple Leafs have remained tight-lipped about injuries, meaning the media doesn’t always get a clear picture of the timelines of some of their biggest stars, including Auston Matthews and Anthony Stolarz.
His next chance to return is Tuesday night at home against the New Jersey Devils as they continue a busy stretch after the holiday break leading up to February’s Winter Olympics.
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