William Nylander's Return to Maple Leafs After Olympic Disappointment
As the Toronto Maple Leafs resume their busy NHL schedule this week, all eyes are on star forward William Nylander. The team's leading scorer has returned to practice following Sweden's quarterfinal loss at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, where he faced teammate Auston Matthews and Team USA.
Moving Past Olympic Heartbreak
Nylander acknowledged the frustration of Sweden's early Olympic exit, particularly with the long wait until the next Winter Games. "The thing that's frustrating is that it's another four years to the next one," Nylander said. "That's where my mind has been the past couple of days." At 30 years old, Nylander will be 34 when the next Olympic hockey tournament arrives.
The right winger expressed determination to shift focus to the Maple Leafs' critical playoff push. "Nice to be back in Toronto and try and forget about Milan," he stated. "The focus shifts to here and what's ahead down the stretch. I'm fired up to do our best to make the push."
Vital Addition to Post-Olympic Lineup
Nylander's return comes at a crucial time for the Maple Leafs, who face back-to-back games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. With Auston Matthews potentially limited due to fatigue and John Tavares battling illness, Nylander's presence becomes even more essential.
Coach Craig Berube noted that Nylander appeared to be "the normal Willy" during Tuesday's practice, though acknowledged the mental break was as important as physical rest following the Olympic disappointment. "It's tough to go over there and not win anything," Berube said. "The goal didn't happen, but they're grown men, they're athletes, pros and they move on."
Playoff Push and Team Dynamics
The Maple Leafs find themselves in a challenging position, sitting six points out of a wild-card spot with just 25 games remaining. Nylander has been a consistent offensive force this season, recording 52 points in 40 games, including three overtime goals. Since returning from an earlier injury, he contributed four points in three pre-Olympic break victories.
Nylander practiced on an all-Nordic line with Calle Jarnkrok and Finnish-born Mattias Maccelli, a temporary configuration due to Matthews' absence and Tavares' illness. The spirited workout helped re-immerse the Swedish forward in team dynamics as Toronto prepares for its critical stretch run.
Team Adjustments and Challenges
Berube emphasized the importance of utilizing all four lines effectively, particularly with back-to-back games immediately following the Olympic break. "We're going to have to roll lines with the back-to-back coming out of the gate," the coach explained. "That will be critical we get everybody going. We need everybody to be successful."
The Maple Leafs face additional challenges on defense, where Chris Tanev continues to recover from a severe groin injury suffered after Christmas. Tanev has been working separately with skills coaches while Philippe Myers appears likely to be the odd defenseman out against Tampa Bay.
Meanwhile, the Lightning will have their own adjustments to make. While Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman is expected to return from an Olympic injury and sniper Brayden Point appears healthy, center Anthony Cirelli will likely miss the game. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper had not yet returned from his Team Canada coaching duties to run Tuesday's practice.
Nylander remains optimistic about what the challenging schedule ahead could mean for team development. "Every team will be battling, but if it goes the way we want by April, it will add a lot of character to our team," he concluded, looking toward the postseason possibilities that await the determined Maple Leafs.
