The Toronto Maple Leafs are keeping their lineup plans close to the chest ahead of Tuesday’s matchup against the Calgary Flames, with key absences clouding the situation.
William Nylander returned to full practice and was seen rotating on the top line and first power-play unit, suggesting progress. But whether the star forward is ready to play remains unclear.
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Nylander left last Friday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres following a hit from Jason Zucker. He then missed Saturday’s contest entirely, marking his first absence in a regular-season game since April 2022.
When asked directly about Nylander’s status, head coach Craig Berube acknowledged the situation remains fluid, saying, “That’s a game-time decision again, yeah.”
Berube later explained that Nylander’s availability hinges on how he feels during warmups, thus the game-time status.
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“Yeah, I think it depends on a couple things. I really don’t want to get too detailed into it, but there’s a couple areas where he needs to feel right,” Berube said. “And it’s hard for him to know until it’s like game time out and warm up and how he feels and how he’s doing certain things.
“That’s the decision that’s gonna be made.”
Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander (88) skates during warm-ups.Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Nylander leads all Maple Leafs in scoring with 14 points, including 11 assists and three goals through eight games.
Meanwhile, Berube also revealed that Calle Jarnkrok (three points in eight games) is unlikely to play on Tuesday after taking a puck off the foot against Buffalo. The 34-year-old forward has recorded three goals this season.
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Toronto is entering a back-to-back with the game against the Flames followed by a matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday, giving the team little turnaround time if adjustments are needed.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the NHL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.