Toronto's offence may have to get by without its most productive winger on Monday night. William Nylander did not take part in the Maple Leafs' morning skate because of illness and is listed as questionable for the 7:30 p.m. ET meeting with the San Jose Sharks at Scotiabank Arena, according to the NHL's status report published Monday.
Nylander has been Toronto's early-season engine, collecting 12 points — five goals and seven assists — in nine games. Losing him, even for one night, would force a reshuffle of the Leafs' top six against a Sharks team that has started respectably and played on Saturday, the same night Toronto last took the ice.
The timing is awkward for a club already missing its captain. John Tavares remains week-to-week with a lower-body injury, so Toronto's centre depth and power-play structure are already stretched before any decision on Nylander is made closer to puck drop.
Toronto enters the night at 3-4-2, with San Jose at 4-3-1. Projected starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz was the expected — though unconfirmed — starter in the morning previews. Whether Nylander dresses will likely be the first question answered when the Leafs take the ice for warmups.
