Decision appears to be made by Leafs regarding Nylander's Game 4 status
All signs point to William Nylander suiting up for the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight in Game 4 versus the Boston Bruins.
The uncertainty surrounding Nylander has been the oddest and most talked-about story of the playoffs so far. The 27-year-old has yet to play in the playoffs, and the Leafs did not provide any reason as to why. It has since been reported, however, that he has been dealing with migraine issues following a head injury suffered late in the season.
Nylander, coming off a career-high 98 points, participated in line rushes at yesterday’s practice and seemed to be in good spirits when speaking with the media afterwards.
Leafs F William Nylander spoke with the media about missing the first three games of the series and how he’s feeling now. pic.twitter.com/sn1MHxVQis
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 26, 2024
It seems he is feeling fine again today, and he is expected to be in the lineup tonight.
"We're preparing for Willy to play at this point." đź‘€
When asked about lineup changes for Game 4 tonight, Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed that the team expects William Nylander to return to the lineup for Game 4. pic.twitter.com/In43P9MslF
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 27, 2024
“We’re preparing for Willy to play at this point,” head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters this morning.
The Leafs could certainly use Nylander, as they have managed just six goals through three games versus the Bruins and find themselves trailing the series 2-1. They’ll be looking for the 27-year-old to provide a big spark in hopes of tying up the series before heading back to Boston for Game 5.
So far, the Leafs’ top stars who have suited up in this series haven’t been at their best. As has John Tavares, Auston Matthews has found the back of the net just once. The most disappointing of all has been Mitch Marner, who has logged just one assist through three games. They will all need to be better to win this series and will look to pick up their play in their biggest game of the season tonight. Puck drop is set for 8 pm ET.
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