William Nylander is expected to be back for Game 4 in the series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. But, he’s not coming back without adding a bit more drama to an already turbulent scene in Toronto. Nylander spoke with the media after taking part in practice on Friday and essentially brushed off injury issues that have kept him out of the first three games of the series.
Speaking to reporters who wanted to know how he was doing, he responded that he wasn’t going to talk about it and said, “Look, that’s just personal so I’m not going to get into that, but anything else you guys want to discuss.” When he hinted reporters should change the subject, one asked how the last few days have felt and Nylander said, “I’ve been feeling really great. I mean, the games are crazy to watch from home, I’ve never been so nervous in my life. The guys are doing a great job and tomorrow’s a big game.”
While this wasn’t an official confirmation that Nyalnder will be suiting up in Game 4, most insiders have reported that it looks like he’s a go. When he was asked what the biggest challenge of jumping back into a series would be, he confidently responded, “Nothing.” Shocking a couple of reporters with the response, he explained that he’d been skating and keeping up.
Related: Maple Leafs Test William Nylander for Concussion Concern
That, of course, raised questions.
Why Is Everyone, Including Nylander Being So Hush-Hush About This?
The reports have been that Nylander has been dealing with migraine issues. Elliotte Friedman reported that concern about how strong those migraines were led the team to test for a concussion. The results of that test weren’t revealed, but logically, it’s safe to assume a concussion wasn’t a concern, otherwise, Nylander wouldn’t be practicing and likely ready to play.
But, “it’s personal” is a response that has caught the attention of Leafs Nation. Some have taken issue with the fact that the response is brushing off an injury that has created a situation where the Leafs are now down 2-1 in the series. To many fans, the Leafs moving on is personal too.
The positive here is that Nylander sounds like a player ready to play. That’s a huge plus for the Maple Leafs, even if not having him in the first three games was a pretty big blow to the roster.