It looks like we know the reason why Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander has been out of the line-up and it's surprisingly due to migraines, at least according Elliotte Friedman.
When you think of hockey injuries, migraines are the last one you think of, but they are very serious to deal with and it makes sense why the Toronto Maple Leafs aren't pushing William Nylander to play. When the average person thinks of a migraine, they're probably thinking that it's just a headache, but it's much more severe than that.
We can only speculate how severe Nylander's symptoms are but depending on his case, he could be feeling one of, if not all of these symptoms: fatigue, nausea, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, and sensitivity to light. If you're suffering any of those symptoms, the last thing you would want to do is play a hockey game in the bright lights in front of 20,000 people, so it makes sense why he's been out of the line-up.
As much as we'd all love to see Nylander back in the line-up, his health is most important, as migraines are always a mystery. This isn't a hockey related injury, but instead, for the most part, is just a hereditary thing that he's probably been dealing with for most of his life. Back in September 2022, Nylander "told media he had switched to a tinted visor due to migraines the previous season", so this isn't anything new to him.
Leafs Would Love Nylander Back For Game 4
The hockey mentality, especially in the playoffs, is to play through anything, but that isn't really possible when you have a migraine.
You'll hear of guys who had punctured lungs, or broken legs, and have finished a long Stanley Cup playoff run, but a head injury is different. When you're dealing with the head and brain, there's no reason to risk any injury that would make things worse, and even if you wanted to, it's likely not even possible.
Nylander's absence has been a crater in the middle of the Leafs lineup these last three games. They can't generate any offense, and Nylander is, in many ways, the straw that stirs their drink since he's the best breakout player they have.
He's also their best power-play player, which has been brutal in his absence.
With the man-advantage, Toronto hasn't done anything, so they could really use his lethal shot and playmaking abilities to help spark a struggling first unit. It's still unknown whether or not Nylander will play Game 4, but let's hope that an extra day off can help his recover and he can get back into the line-up.
With 17 goals in 50 career playoff games, Nylander's a game-changing player and could be the difference if the Leafs have any chance at getting back into the series.