The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Saturday afternoon that they have activated forward William Nylander from the injured reserve ahead of the team’s game against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. In a corresponding move, they have assigned forward Jacob Quillan to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Nylander has been out with a groin injury since January 15, after suffering it in the first period against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Maple Leafs have undergone an abysmal stretch in his absence, winning only one of their past seven games with a total record of 1-5-1. They currently sit 10 points out of a wildcard spot, with their playoff chances plummeting to 2.6% according to moneypuck.com.
Nylander had an eventful time away from the team, including a fine from the Department of Player Safety after he flashed a middle finger at a camera from the press box in a game against the Colorado Avalanche on January 25. Nylander later apologized for the gesture and chalked it up to frustration due to the amount of time he had to miss.
“Just not, you know, playing,” Nylander told reporters when asked where his frustration stemmed from. “You know, I want to be out there with the guys, and, yeah, just frustrated.”
Quillan, meanwhile, will return to the Marlies and look to continue his dominance, where he currently has 26 points in 27 games. The strong performance in the AHL hasn’t translated to a meaningful look in the NHL, with only four games played in three different call-up stints this season and no games with more than nine minutes of ice time logged.
The Maple Leafs will kick off their Western Canada road trip against the league-worst Canucks, with games against the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers ahead before a much-needed three-week break with the Winter Olympics set to begin on February 6.
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