The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting a much-needed boost as William Nylander returns to the lineup Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks. After missing nearly three weeks with a groin injury suffered back on January 15 against the Vegas Golden Knights, the dynamic forward is officially off injured reserve and ready to rejoin a Leafs team that’s been reeling in his absence.
To make room on the roster, the Leafs have sent Jacob Quillan back to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. It’s a move that makes sense, given Nylander’s impact and Quillan’s limited NHL usage despite strong numbers in the minors.
Let’s be honest-Toronto’s recent stretch without Nylander has been rough. They’ve won just once in their last seven games, going 1-5-1 during that span.
That skid has dropped them 10 points out of a wildcard spot, and their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. According to moneypuck.com, the Leafs now have just a 2.6% chance of making the postseason.
That’s not a typo. For a team that came into the season with high expectations, this is about as close to panic mode as it gets.
Nylander’s absence has been felt not just on the scoresheet, but in the overall energy and creativity of the Leafs’ top six. He brings pace, vision, and finishing ability that few on the roster can replicate.
And while his time away from the ice included an unfortunate off-ice moment-he was fined by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for flashing a middle finger toward a camera during a January 25 game against Colorado-Nylander owned up to it. He apologized, chalking it up to frustration over being sidelined.
“Just not, you know, playing,” Nylander said when asked about the source of his frustration. “You know, I want to be out there with the guys, and, yeah, just frustrated.”
That frustration is understandable. This is a player who’s been one of Toronto’s most consistent offensive threats all season. And with the team’s playoff hopes fading fast, there’s no time to ease back in-Nylander will be expected to make an immediate impact.
As for Quillan, he heads back to the Marlies where he’s been quietly excellent. With 26 points in 27 games, he’s shown he can dominate at the AHL level.
But that production hasn’t translated into much NHL opportunity-just four games played across three call-ups, none of which saw him crack the 10-minute mark in ice time. It’s clear the Leafs like his potential, but for now, he’ll continue to develop in the minors.
The Leafs now embark on a crucial Western Canada road trip, starting with the Canucks-who, despite sitting at the bottom of the league standings, are still not a team Toronto can afford to overlook. After that, it’s Calgary and Edmonton before the team finally gets a breather during the Winter Olympic break starting February 6.
With the clock ticking on their season, the Leafs need to find answers fast. Getting Nylander back is a start. But if they want to claw their way back into the playoff race, it’s going to take more than just one star returning-it’s going to take a complete reset in effort, execution, and belief.