William Nylander Takes Maintenance Day, But Leafs’ Lineup Takes Shape Ahead of Capitals Matchup

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander was given a maintenance day on Thursday, so he didn’t take part in practice. However, Craig Berube made it clear there’s nothing to worry about; Nylander will suit up Friday night against the Washington Capitals. Nylander is coming off another massive moment for the Leafs, scoring the overtime winner in Wednesday’s 2–1 victory over the Blue Jackets. The 29-year-old has been one of the NHL’s top offensive players this season, sitting at 11 goals and 31 points, which had him tied for 5th in league scoring heading into Thursday’s games.

With Nylander off for the day, the lines were shuffled. Nick Robertson got a look on the top line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, while John Tavares centred Max Domi and Easton Cowan on the second line. Wednesday’s win also marked the return of Matthews, Knies, and Nicolas Roy, all of whom had missed multiple games with injuries. Seeing those three back in the lineup already gives the Leafs’ forward group a completely different look.

One eye-catching note from practice was that Matias Maccelli appears to be heading toward his second straight healthy scratch. He skated as an extra, per TSN’s Mark Masters. After joining the Leafs with big expectations, Maccelli has struggled to find his game, putting up just four goals and nine points in 21 appearances while spending most of the season in top-six roles. Toronto needs more from him, especially given the chances he’s been given. Dakota Joshua, who sat out Wednesday, looks set to return. Berube had a clear message about what he wants from Joshua: “He has to be a physical, hard player to play against.” Joshua was skating with Roy and Bobby McMann during practice.

Another interesting wrinkle is Berube sticking with the five-forward power play. He ran it on Wednesday and kept it the same on Thursday. The first unit featured Matthews, Knies, Tavares, and Cowan, with Max Domi and Maccelli rotating on the flank. The second unit consisted of Robertson, Roy, and McMann, along with Morgan Rielly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the blue line. It’s an unconventional setup, but with Toronto’s power play going through some cold stretches this season, Berube is clearly looking for combinations that can get it going again.

In goal, it looks like Joseph Woll is trending toward his sixth straight start. Woll completely stole the game for Toronto on Wednesday, stopping 35 shots and keeping the Leafs in it until the offence finally clicked late. Dennis Hildeby remains the backup for now, and if Woll starts Friday, it likely means Hildeby gets the nod on Saturday against the Penguins.