'Nothing You Need To Worry About': William Nylander Shines In Return After Illness, Deflects Questions On Absence

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander made his return to the lineup on Saturday and immediately helped his club defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-2.

Nylander picked up the primary assist on Easton Cowan’s goal, which put Toronto up 2-1 in the first period , and the club never relinquished the lead from there. The star Swede faked out goaltender Arturs Silovs, winding up for a shot before passing to Cowan, who buried the puck.

The play drew praise from the Leafs' own goaltending staff. "William Nylander comes down by the hashmarks loading for a one-timer, I think every goalie in the league will freeze,” Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby said of the play. “But it was a great pass, and that's just what he does".

Nylander’s return came after he missed the previous game on Friday against the Washington Capitals due to an undisclosed illness. After the Penguins game, Nylander was asked about the ailment, and it was clear he didn’t want to go into any detail.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” he said.

It is unusual for Nylander to be out of the lineup, as the star player has been known to be quite durable. This absence came just one day after he missed Leafs practice due to what the team had described as maintenance. He had previously missed three games due to a lower-body injury sustained after a hit from Buffalo Sabres forward Jason Zucker.

‘He Needs To Feel Right’: Why William Nylander Continues To Be A Game-Time Decision For The Maple Leafs Nylander sustained a lower-body injury on Friday, and despite participating in a full practice, the Leafs need to see how the player feels in warmups.

Given his recent injuries and maintenance day, the potential for Nylander to miss Saturday’s game wasn't the surprise; the reason was. Nevertheless, Nylander reportedly informed Coach Berube at Saturday morning's team breakfast that he was fit to play.

Despite missing four games this season , Nylander leads all Maple Leafs in scoring with 32 points (11 goals and 21 assists). His 1.52 points per game ranks him third in the NHL among qualified players.

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