The Toronto Maple Leafs have endured several injuries to multiple key players this season, and they were just dealt another blow on Saturday evening in their game against the Ottawa Senators.
Forward William Nylander, who leads all Maple Leafs scorers with 40 total points, was injured midway through the contest at Scotiabank Arena as Toronto battled against its provincial rival, and he did not return to the game.
The Maple Leafs would then announce that Nylander would be be available for the remainder of the evening.
The Maple Leafs would ultimately defeat the Senators by a 7-5 final score for their second consecutive victory, improving their record to 17-15-5.
For Toronto, it was also their first game since the dismissal of assistant coach Marc Savard, who was replaced by former Maple Leafs forward (and Toronto Marlies assistant coach) Steve Sullivan.
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Toronto Maple Leafs Forward William Nylander Recently Broke An 11-Game Goal Drought
The Maple Leafs understandably heavily rely upon Nylander for his offensive punch, especially following the offseason departure of teammate Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights.
However, despite leading all Leafs scorers with 40 total points, Nylander endured a troublesome 11-game goal drought. He managed to break out of that slump in a major way on Dec. 23 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, during which he registered a hat trick.
He also added a goal on Saturday against the Senators just 40 seconds into the contest on the power-play for his 14th of the campaign. He would play in just under nine total minutes of ice time prior to his injury that forced him from the game.
Nylander has already missed four games this season, during which the Maple Leafs compiled a record of 2-2.
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Maple Leafs Coach Craig Berube Painted an Optimistic Picture on Nylander’s Status
Following the game, Berube was asked about the status of Nylander, to which the veteran bench boss responded that he would be accompanying the team for their road game the following night against the Detroit Red Wings.
“He’s coming on the trip, so that’s a good sign,” Berube said, referencing Toronto’s road trip to Detroit to face the Red Wings on Sunday. “We’ll see how he is tomorrow.”
Teammate Auston Matthews expressed his wishes for the best for Nylander.
“I don’t know what the extent is or what happened, but he is a big part of this team and drives a lot of play for us,” Matthews said. “You’re hoping for the best.”
Teammate Matthew Knies echoed the sentiments from Matthews.
“It sucks to lose a guy like that, he’s so dynamic,” Knies said, “but guys stepped up and we found a way to win.”
It was Nylander who potted the first goal of the game on Saturday evening just 40 seconds after the initial puck drop, converting on a centering pass from Matthews.
Matthews managed to break a pointless drought, as he hadn’t recorded a point in his previous four games. Not only did he score during the victory over the Senators, but he also added a pair of assists.
Toronto Maple Leafs Announce Another Concerning Injury To Top Forward