Leafs May Face Additional Lineup Changes Following Latest News on William Nylander
William Nylander's status for Wednesday's game against the LA Kings remains up in the air, but could force the Leafs to alter their lineup again.
Nylander was absent from practice om Tuesday due to an illness that appears to be making its way through the Leafs' dressing room. Nylander is the second Leaf to fall ill following John Tavares' absence over the weekend, which forced him to miss the home opener.
After missing Tuesday's skate, Nylander also missed Wednesday's morning skate ahead of their game against the LA Kings, but head coach Craig Berube noted following the skate that Nylander will be a game-time decision as he continues to feel better.
In addition to Nylander's status, which could force the Leafs to shuffle lines, the Leafs made a significant change on the blueline. Timothy Liljegren is slated to make his season debut and will replace Conor Timmins the lineup. Whether this is about showcasing Liljegren for a potential trade or not remains to be seen, but at the very least, it allows the former first-round pick an opportunity to show he can play under Berube.
Not only will Liljegren draw in, but Tavares will also make his return to the lineup after missing Saturday's home opener. Tavares skated in practice yesterday between Pontus Holmberg and Nicholas Robertson and projects to remain there, but if Nylander ends up playing, we could see some shuffling on the wing.
For now, it appears the Leafs will prepare to play without Nylander, but having him as a last minute addition could be beneficial as it would force the Kings to adapt on the fly, which could and should give the Leafs an advantage.
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