Maple Leafs News: William Nylander Update Before Game 1

With Game 1 of the Toronto Maple Leafs/Boston Bruins first-round series just hours away, there was still no sign of William Nylander Saturday morning. 

William Nylander is not on the ice for the Leafs optional morning skate.

His status for Game 1 remains unclear.

— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) April 20, 2024

The two-time 40-goal winger was not at the Leafs optional morning skate after missing practice on Friday. At that time, head coach Sheldon Keefe called him only a "possibility" for Game 1. But after being absent from the ice again Saturday morning, it's not looking extremely promising. 

Insider Chris Johnson offered a little more information on when this new issue cropped up for Nylander, who seemed to be fine as the Buds finished off the regular season earlier in the week.

It remains to be seen if William Nylander will be able to get himself to a spot physically where he can suit up for Game 1 in Boston tonight. This isn't an issue he was playing through down the stretch. He woke up Thursday in some discomfort.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) April 20, 2024

Johnson reports that Nylander "woke up Thursday in discomfort", and it was a new issue, not anything that he had been playing with as the season wound down. 

Both Nylander and top-six forward Bobby McMann are looking very questionable for Saturday night's season-opener, as the latter was also absent again Saturday morning after being hurt a week earlier. 

Nylander finished the regular season with 40 goals and a career-high 98 points, while McMann broke through as a reliable contributor with 15 goals and a plus-13 rating in 56 games, most all of it in the season's second half. 

Needless to say, those two will be missed by the Leafs if they are unable to go, as Toronto will need all hands on deck if they are to depose of their arch-nemesis the Bruins. 

Photo: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports