The Toronto Maple Leafs can finally take a breath of fresh air after what has been a tough week for the Maple Leafs. William Nylander and Dakota Joshua have returned to practice on Saturday. While there is no timeline on either player's return, this is a step in the right direction.
William Nylander has missed the past four games after suffering a groin injury against the Vegas Golden Knights during a road trip a few weeks back. Dakota Joshua has not been seen after suffering a kidney injury on December 28th. Joshua can be expected to be a ways away still, while the severity of Nylander's injury has never been revealed.
William Nylander and Dakota Joshua both on the ice this Saturday getting some work in. First time Joshua has returned and been on the ice since December 28th.
— Anna Dua (@AnnaNoelleDua) January 24, 2026
No updates on a timeline for Nylander’s return. Joshua is still a ways away.
Offensive struggle without Nylander
Recent Maple Leafs' struggles could be attributed to the absence of these players throughout the lineup. Adding Nylander, especially back in the lineup, will be the boost the Maple Leafs need. The Maple Leafs have not been able to take over games, and when they do, they are not able to sustain pressure in their opponents' offensive zone. Adding Nylander back into the lineup can help with this and will return to being the driving force in the Leafs' lineup. Any team that loses a star forward, specifically a player of the calibre of Nylander, will struggle, but the best teams can work around this and find ways to win, something the Maple Leafs have been struggling with.
A key contributor in Joshua
Dakota Joshua has had an up-and-down season with the Maple Leafs. Joshua struggled to find his footing at the beginning of the season, but as the season progressed, he has been able to elevate his game to a new level. Joshua has found a home on the Maple Leafs' third line, playing a physical, hard style of hockey, the kind that fits the Craig Berube mould. The Maple Leafs' third line was one that teams hated to play against. Further than their physicality, they were able to provide some depth scoring and swing momentum back in the Leafs' favour. While Joshua's stat line with six goals in 36 games, anyone watching Maple Leafs hockey knows that his value goes further than just his production.
The significance of the latest injury update
If Dakota Joshua and William Nylander can return from injury soon, it could prove to be critical. They both play significant roles within the Leafs' lineup. Inserting them back into the lineup can help them stop the bleeding. The Maple Leafs, heading into Sunday's game against the Avalanche, have lost the past three games in a row. For a team on the outside looking in, these kinds of setbacks can't happen. Nylander and Joshua may be able to provide a much-needed spark. Nylander is arguably the most important player in the Maple Leafs lineup. He drives the offence night in and night out, and when Nylander is out of the lineup, there is a significant drop off, and it is visibly obvious that something is missing. Joshua provides physicality as well and is willing to put his body on the line, unlike any player on the Maple Leafs. Their presence is needed, and the Maple Leafs could continue to struggle in their absence.
The Maple Leafs are hoping that Nylander and Joshua keep progressing well, as they are in the heart of a tough schedule, while trying to get back in the playoff circle. The Maple Leafs continue their homestand with a matchup against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. The Maple Leafs will need to survive this next stretch of games without Nylander and Joshua.