The Toronto Maple Leafs faced a significant challenge in their lineup Sunday night, taking on the Detroit Red Wings without their leading scorer, William Nylander. The dynamic forward is sidelined with a lower-body injury, an issue that could also keep him out of the team's final home game of 2025 against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.
Berube Provides Nylander Injury Update
Head coach Craig Berube addressed the media in Detroit, delivering news that was cautiously optimistic. Nylander, who made the trip with the team after getting hurt, is now officially classified as day-to-day. The injury occurred during the second period of Saturday's 7-5 victory over the Ottawa Senators, limiting the winger to just 8 minutes and 25 seconds of ice time. Despite his early exit, Nylander managed to open the scoring with a power-play goal, bringing his season point total to 41.
Rookie Steps Into the Spotlight
With Nylander unavailable, the Leafs turned to rookie winger Easton Cowan to fill the void on the roster for the second half of the back-to-back set. Berube had been looking for an opportunity to reinstate Cowan after the young player sat out the previous three games as a healthy scratch. Cowan has recorded 11 points in 26 games this season. The coaching staff had kept the lineup unchanged during a stretch where the team played well, winning two of three games without him.
Nylander's absence is a test for the Leafs' depth. The star forward has missed four other games this year, one due to illness. The team's record stands at an impressive 8-3-1 when he finds the back of the net.
Defensive Logjam Promotes Roster Moves
The injury news up front coincides with a welcome congestion on the blue line. The impending returns of Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo from foot surgery, potentially later this week, have created a surplus of defensemen. This logjam prompted the Leafs to make corresponding roster adjustments on Sunday.
The team assigned Henry Thrun to the AHL's Toronto Marlies and placed Marshall Rifai on waivers. Rifai is working his way back from wrist surgery and recently completed a conditioning stint with the Marlies, playing in their 4-3 shootout win in Utica on Saturday. Had he been healthy earlier, Rifai likely would have received an NHL look given the injuries to Carlo and Tanev. Thrun, who was held off the scoresheet in four relief appearances and was a minus-1, generally played sound defensive hockey during his call-up.
The Leafs now look ahead to wrapping up their post-Christmas slate of Eastern Conference games. They host the New Jersey Devils and former coach Sheldon Keefe on Tuesday, December 30th, before ringing in the New Year with a matchup against the Winnipeg Jets at Scotiabank Arena on January 1st.
