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The Maple Leafs are off to a horrendous start to their season, and the injuries are really starting to pile up after William Nylander was injured in Buffalo.
After a brutal stretch that’s seen key players drop like flies, Leafs Nation is holding its breath once again — this time for William Nylander.
Morgan Rielly and a href=”https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/player/chris-tanev-8475690″ class=”lien_marqueur” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Chris Tanev both went down with injuries earlier this week, and Rielly’s status remains uncertain, while Tanev has officially landed on injured reserve. Unfortunately for Toronto, the bad news doesn’t stop there.During their game against the Buffalo Sabres, William Nylander took an awkward collision and immediately headed to the dressing room, not returning for the power play.
It’s unclear how serious the injury is, but his absence for the remainder of the game has fans concerned. A feeling Leafs Nation is not used to when talking about William Nylander and injuries in the same breath.
Nylander’s reliability takes a hit
Over the past four seasons, Nylander has missed just one game, making him arguably Toronto’s most dependable forward. His consistency and scoring touch have been vital, and with 11 assists already this season, he’s shown an improved playmaking element to his game. Losing that kind of production, even short-term, would sting.
Toronto’s depth faces another test
The Maple Leafs did build this year’s roster to handle injuries, adding more depth and lineup flexibility. But, there’s only so much a team can take — especially when involving a player as crucial as Nylander.
With Nylander potentially sidelined and both Rielly and Tanev already out, Brad Treliving may be forced to act quickly, possibly pushing for a top-six forward to help stabilize the offense.
Previously on Maple Leafs Daily