William Nylander missed the last 6:07 of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 6-3 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, marking his lowest ice time of the season at just 13 minutes and 46 seconds. The Leafs’ second line, featuring Nylander, Bobby McMann, and John Tavares, struggled throughout the game. They were on the ice for two of Edmonton’s even-strength goals but couldn’t score any themselves, with Nylander ending the match at a -3 rating.
Nylander did not take part in the morning skate due to illness, and head coach Craig Berube explained the decision to reduce his playing time in the third period. “He played tonight, but obviously he wasn’t even at 75 percent,” Berube said. “He was sick, but he was playing. But he didn’t feel there was any reason to continue playing.”
Though this wasn’t a traditional benching as the game was out of reach, this was Nylander’s lowest ice time since April 6, 2023, when he played 13 minutes and 32 seconds in overtime during a 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins.
Dakota Joshua also missed the morning skate due to illness and was not well enough to play. His absence impacted Toronto’s second and third lines, prompting McMann to return from a one-game suspension.
Nylander currently leads the Leafs with 34 points in 27 games and had a two-point performance in a 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on December 11. Despite his illness, the Leafs opted to play Nylander below full strength instead of Matthias Macelli, who hasn’t played since November 28. Given the team’s performance and statistics, this decision might have been questionable.
Ultimately, a late second-period goal gave Edmonton the lead, which proved decisive as the Oilers scored three more times. This forced Leafs goalie Denis Hildeby out, making way for Artur Akhtyamov to make his NHL debut in relief.
Fan Take: This update is significant for hockey fans as it highlights how even star players’ health issues can heavily impact team dynamics and game outcomes. It also raises questions about roster depth and management decisions that could shape the Leafs’ chances moving forward in the season.
