The Toronto Maple Leafs sustained a concerning injury scare during their 7-5 win on Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena. The Leafs’ leading scorer left the game at about the six-minute mark of the second period.
Here’s a look at the suspected moment in which Nylander sustained what looks to be an ankle injury:
He did not return to the bench for the remainder of the night. It seems that Nylander sat out the rest of the game as a precautionary measure. That could mean great news for Nylander and the Maple Leafs, according to the expert medical opinion of Dr. Harjas Grewal.
The renowned medical expert offered this opinion:
Nylander currently leads the team in scoring with 41 points in 33 games. Losing him would be a tough blow. Still, it seems the suspected ankle injury may not be nearly as tough as it initially seemed.
Moving forward, the Maple Leafs may be careful with their top-line winger. The Leafs play on Sunday night in Detroit. Toronto coach Craig Berube said following the game that Nylander will be with the team in Detroit. However, his status remains up in the air.
The Leafs can ill afford to lose Nylander again this season. The Leafs’ sniper has missed a handful of games with various ailments this season.
Nylander Scored in Maple Leafs’ Win Over Senators
Nylander got the Maple Leafs on the board early in the first period of their tilt against the Senators. Toronto got an early power play, leading to Nylander potting the puck home 40 seconds into the game.
The goal was Nylander’s 14th of the season. Most importantly, it was a crucial power play marker. Last week, the team cut ties with former power play coach Marc Savard. This week, the team announced the hiring of Steve Sullivan to take over the role.
The move seems to have worked as the Maple Leafs scored twice with the man advantage on Saturday night. Matthew Knies added a power play tally of his own to make the game 2-0.
Knies had this to say about the power play after the game:
“In morning skate, we were working on it the whole time. It was a good sight from him there.”
The Maple Leafs hope the power play continues to roll as they look to extend their current two-game winning streak to three on Sunday night in Detroit.
Toronto Remains Unclear with Other Injury Issues
While the Maple Leafs could get positive injury news regarding Nylander, the outlook isn’t so good for two other members. Goaltender Anthony Stolarz and defenseman Brandon Carlo remain unclear for Toronto.
Stolarz has been out since mid-November with no update whatsoever on his potential return. The club has been clear about Stolarz’s current injury being unrelated to the concussion he sustained during last season’s playoffs.
Meanwhile, Carlo could be closer to returning. However, Berube has been careful to avoid a timeline. Carlo sustained a lower-body injury requiring surgery. There’s hope Carlo could return this season, but there’s no clear timeline for his return.
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