Saturday morning brought more of the same for Toronto, and it is not the kind of consistency you want. William Nylander was not on the ice for the Maple Leafs' morning skate, which is usually the clearest hint he is not playing tonight.
Nylander's injury timeline has been frustrating because it started quietly and then lingered. He played just 8:25 against Ottawa on Dec. 27, then did not return, and he still has not ramped up with the group.
That absence forces Craig Berube into a shuffle that changes the feel of every line, even if the names look familiar. At the skate, Bobby McMann rode with Auston Matthews and Max Domi, while John Tavares centered Matias Maccelli and Matthew Knies.
Toronto's bottom six look like they will need to play a heavier, simpler game to survive the minutes Nylander usually eats. Easton Cowan skated with David Roy and Nicholas Robertson, while Steven Lorentz lined up with Scott Laughton and Calle Jarnkrok.
Toronto Maple Leafs miss William Nylander again
As a Bruins fan watching the Atlantic race, this is the kind of news you circle fast, because it affects the standings math for everyone. Still, you never like seeing a top player stuck in the «almost back» zone.
Nylander has been one of Toronto's engines when healthy, with 14 goals and 41 points in 33 games this season. That is not «nice to have» scoring, that is a chunk of your identity.
The Leafs can patch it for a night, but replacing his controlled entries and quick-strike touch is a different story. If Toronto wants to keep its momentum alive, it has to win the low-event minutes and stay out of penalty trouble.
For Bruins fans, the takeaway is simple: even rivals get thinner fast, and the schedule does not care. Saturday night will show whether Toronto's depth is real, or just loud on paper.