William Nylander spotted at practice for the first time since injury

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Tom Banks
April 21, 2024 (2:46 PM)

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There's been plenty of mystery surrounding William Nylander after he missed the first game of the playoffs, but now it appears he could be on the verge of a return.

After missing game one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a brutal 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, there may be some major hope on the horizon for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite playing all 82 regular season games, star forward William Nylander missed their practices this past few days, before ultimately missing game one against Boston.

Now, Nylander has seemingly taken a step towards a return, as he was spotted on the ice at an optional practice on Sunday for the first time since he took the ice for the final game against Tampa Bay back on Wednesday.

William Nylander was among the #leafs who took part in a highly optional skate in Boston this afternoon. It's the first time he's been spotted on the ice since Wednesday's game in Tampa.

There's been no official update from Sheldon Keefe, and while the team outshot Boston heavily, they managed just one goal, so the return of Nylander could help that immensely. This doesn't signal an imminent return, but the Maple Leafs need everyone available, and with the next game scheduled to take place on Monday, this will hopefully be a sign that No. 88 can get back on the ice and help this team immediately.