SEATTLE — The Toronto Maple Leafs are hopeful that William Nylander can return to the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. Although Nylander participated in a full morning skate ahead of Thursday’s matchup with the Seattle Kraken, the team’s top scorer will remain out of the lineup, marking his seventh consecutive missed game due to a groin injury.
“He’s close,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said following the session, noting that the forward is “potentially” an option for the visit to Vancouver.
The skate represented Nylander’s first full session since aggravating his injury during the club’s 6-5 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 15. Having already missed six games earlier in the season due to the same ailment, his total time on the sidelines due to the ailment has reached 13 games. Given that the team’s medical management has become a recent topic of discussion, Berube addressed how the return will be handled.
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“Well, it’s a tandem with the trainers and everyone we communicate with,” Berube explained. “Willie wanted to get a real good push today out here and do some extra skating. Hopefully, he’s ready to go next game”.
The timing is critical for Toronto. After a winless 0-4-1 homestand, the Maple Leafs are beginning a four-game Western road trip starting Thursday in Seattle. Currently sitting last in the Atlantic Division, the team is in desperate need of points; being without their primary offensive engine makes that climb significantly harder.
While Berube has asserted that the club’s primary issues involve defensive play rather than scoring, the Leafs clearly lack Nylander’s game-breaking ability. In the four games he played between stints on the injured reserve, Nylander recorded three goals and four assists. This included a goal and an assist in just over two minutes of ice time against Vegas before he was forced to exit.
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Nylander’s absence has also impacted the team’s depth, often turning the Leafs into a one-line threat that is easier for opponents to check. Without him, the coaching staff has utilized Matias Maccelli and Matthew Knies on the second-line wings alongside John Tavares. Auston Matthews has mostly become a lone focal point, skating with Bobby McMann and Max Domi, a trio that has been tasked with the majority of difficult defensive matchups.
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The winger’s health remains a focal point not just for the NHL season, but for international play, as Nylander is expected to be a cornerstone of Sweden’s contingent at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
