The Maple Leafs have received good news on the injury front, as netminder Anthony Stolarz has returned to on-ice practice alongside defenceman Dakota Mermis and forward William Nylander. This is a huge progression for this trio of players as Stolarz hasn't skated since November 11th, while Mermis has been out of commission since December 8th. Nylander hasn't played in the Maple Leafs' lineup in the last four contests.
Anthony Stolarz (upper body) is back on the ice this morning after skating before Maple Leafs practice on Monday.
— Nick Barden (@nickbarden) January 6, 2026
Craig Berube said after the practice that Stolarz is improving, but remains out indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/qBgV2z07BS
Progressing in the right direction
Stolarz, who was injured in a loss to the Boston Bruins, was taken out of the game for precautionary reasons, but the injury ended up being a lot worse than many expected. With little to no updates, many fans and reporters have wondered what was really going on. Berube wasn't ready to call it season-ending, but didn't have a timeline on his return. Stolarz returning to the ice shows that he is making progress, but fans should not expect the Maple Leafs' goalie to return to action anytime soon. It is still looking as if he will be out for a few more weeks at the earliest. Stolarz will likely continue to make progressions with the Maple Leafs staff before entering into a team practice. Once he can get back on the ice for game action, we could see the Maple Leafs loaning Stolarz to the Toronto Marlies for a conditioning stint, as we saw with Joseph Woll.
Dakota Mermis was placed on injured reserve after suffering a lower-body injury against the Tampa Bay Lightning on December 8th. Mermis has recently begun making progress after taking a knee-on-knee hit from Gage Goncalves in the third period of the Maple Leafs’ 2–0 win. While there is still no clear timetable for his return, seeing him trend in the right direction is encouraging for Toronto’s banged-up blue line.
William Nylander injury update
William Nylander was also spotted skating on Tuesday after being placed on injured reserve, a positive sign as he continues to work his way back. Despite the progress, Nylander remains listed as day-to-day. Craig Berube confirmed that Nylander will not be available for Tuesday night’s matchup against the Florida Panthers, but there is optimism that he could return to the lineup within the next couple of games.
The Maple Leafs will look to continue their good stretch of hockey against the Florida Panthers. The Maple Leafs sit four points out of the final Wild Card spot and two points behind the Florida Panthers. Every game from here to the end of the year, especially against divisional rivals, will be very important.