William Nylander finally speaks out on mysterious playoff disappearance

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Apr 27, 2024 13:48 GMT

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander finally broke his silence regarding his absence from the playoff series against the Boston Bruins. In a recent media interaction, Nylander said he was unfazed by his prolonged absence.

Addressing the stress of not playing, Nylander asserted:

"It is what it is. There’s nothing to really stress about. Can’t force yourself back into the game, so I’ll be ready when I’m ready."

He also emphasized that his preparation through continued skating and training would hold him in good stead on his return.

"Nothing Why is that? Because I’ve been skating and everything," he replied.

However, when asked why he was absent from the playoff series, William Nylander remained tight-lipped.

"Look, that's just personal so I'm not going to get into that, but anything else you guys want to discuss," he said.

Despite his absence from the games, Nylander said he experienced intense nerves while watching his teammates compete from home.

"The games are crazy to watch from home. I’ve never been so nervous in my life, but I think the guys are doing a great job & tomorrow’s a big game," he said.

Nylander's status for Game 4 remains uncertain. When asked about his participation, Nylander said:

"I don’t know. We’ll see."

Nylander, who had 40 goals and 98 points in 82 regular-season games, could be a game-changer for Toronto on his return.

Maple Leafs lose 4-2 to Bruins in William Nylander's absence

Brad Marchand and the Bruins secured a 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead.

Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe was disappointed with the way his team dealt with Marchand's "gamesmanship."

“The gamesmanship and everything, it’s world class. He’s been in the league long enough … he gets calls. It’s unbelievable, actually, how it goes. We’ve got to play through that.”

Marchand and Tyler Bertuzzi got into an altercation during the second period while Toronto was ahead 1-0. The crowd at Scotiabank Arena called for a penalty, but the referees took no notice.

Jake DeBrusk and Trent Frederic found the back of the net for Boston to give them a 2-1 lead, while goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 28 crucial saves. Marchand then scored twice to ice the win.

Game 4 will take place at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.