Hold onto your hats, Leafs fans! William Nylander is back in action after a two-week hiatus, and the team is looking even hotter than before!
Nylander, who last played on December 27th against the Ottawa Senators (where he seemed to suffer a knee injury), is rejoining a team that's been on fire. Without him, the Maple Leafs have impressively gone 4-0-2, and an outstanding 6-0-2 in their last eight games! They're poised to make a serious push in the Eastern Conference playoff race, starting with Saturday's home game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Coach Craig Berube had the challenging task of reshuffling the lineup to accommodate Nylander's return. Here's how it's shaping up:
- Line 1: Knies, Matthews, Domi
- Line 2: Maccelli, Tavares, Nylander
- Line 3: Robertson, Roy, Cowan
- Line 4: Lorentz, Laughton, McMann
Nylander will also reclaim his spot on the first power-play unit, alongside Matthews, Maccelli, Knies, and Morgan Rielly. This means John Tavares will shift to the second unit with Domi, Robertson, Cowan, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
"I spoke with JT about it. He’s a good team guy and he’s fine," Berube stated, highlighting Tavares's team-first attitude.
And this is the part most people miss... The Leafs have continued to light up the scoreboard even without Nylander! They've netted 21 goals in the six games he missed, with Auston Matthews leading the charge with six goals. Despite missing 10 games this season, Nylander still leads the team in scoring with 41 points.
On the injury front, defenseman Jake McCabe is also slated to return, though he's a game-time decision. If he plays, he'll pair with Ekman-Larsson. Troy Stecher will then play with Simon Benoit on the third pair, with Philippe Myers sitting out.
But here's where it gets controversial... Injuries have plagued the team all season. Anthony Stolarz has been out since November 11th due to an undisclosed injury and will miss his 27th consecutive game. Chris Tanev, Dakota Joshua, and Dakota Mermis are also sidelined.
What do you think about the lineup changes? Do you agree with the coach's decisions? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
