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William Nylander didn’t want to be the one who disrupted a great season and put teammates and their families at risk.
So when Nylander came in contact with a COVID-19 case, he went right to club officials, then nine days of quarantine. That lasted until Friday when he was allowed to join the Maple Leafs on their flight to Vancouver for his planned return to game action Sunday.
“We’d got back from the road (April 6 after a trip to Calgary) and I met somebody who tested positive the next day,” Nylander explained in his first comments since being pulled. “I had to isolate for nine days with nine days of tests.”
He was yanked after the morning skate April 7 against Montreal and kept mostly in isolation, other than medical people, killing time watching the Leafs on TV and riding a stationary bike that was moved to his residence.
“I was worried about me getting (COVID-19) and giving it to the guys. Over those few days, I was pretty nervous, but thank god nobody got it. That was the No. 1 thing I was worried about.”
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The shadow of the virus now covers the entire NHL, with the Canucks emerging from three weeks of a team-wide outbreak for their first game Sunday. Their lineup is sure to be out of game shape, facing 19 games in under five weeks to make up.
Recently acquired Leafs Nick Foligno and Ben Hutton remain in Toronto until their seven-day quarantines are up in a couple of days after they crossed the Canadian border, yet it’s unclear if they can come on this road trip next week.Toronto’s AHL farm team, the Marlies, had three games this past week postponed by a COVID-19 protocol scare.
Nylander skated Friday and Saturday and so far says he feels good for the 4 p.m. local start. Coach Sheldon Keefe won’t yet confirm if he and leading scorer Auston Matthews (sore wrist) will be back, though both were full participants Saturday at Rogers Arena.
Jack Campbell will start in net on Sunday after two sub-par outings.
PLUCKY CANUCKS
Keefe and the Leafs can’t help admiring the Canucks, who made a public stand earlier in the week when they felt they were being rushed by the league into a return Friday against the Oilers with many still unfit. They successfully had that game moved and the first of two against the Leafs delayed a day.
Many wives and children were laid low, too, after March 24, their last game before their facility closed. Not all players will be in the lineup or 100% on Sunday, while coach Travis Green looked and sounded sapped on Saturday’s Zoom call. Goalie Thatcher Demko, defenceman Nate Schmidt and forward Jake Virtanen are among five regulars unable to play the Leafs.
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“They’ve had tough circumstances, but we have to get back on track ourselves,” defenceman Morgan Riellysaid of Toronto’s three-game losing streak. “We have a lot to improve upon.”
Canucks winger Brandon Sutter said it didn’t matter if his team was facing the first-place Leafs or a bottom feeder from elsewhere in the league. The rust will be evident, but he vowed his team is going in expecting to win, which they’ll have to do a lot of if they hope to brighten a dim playoff picture.
“Playing the Leafs anytime is tough; it doesn’t matter if you’re coming off a long break,” Sutter said. “So, might as well get right back into the fire.”
“They are a gritty, resilient group that before this situation was playing as good hockey as anyone in the division,” Keefe said. “I’m expecting them to get back to their identity right away. That’s all we can prepare for.”
WILLY POWERS UP
Keefe gave the power play lots of attention on Saturday, its awful 1-for-41 slump weighing on team confidence. If the Canucks have to hook, hold and interfere to keep up after being out so long, perhaps Toronto can break its awful cycle.
There was a bit of a new look Saturday, Nylander on the first unit with Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and Rielly at the point, while Wayne Simmonds was the net front presence for the second unit with fellow forwards Jason Spezza, Joe Thornton and Alex Galchenyuk. With Zach Hyman re-assigned Jake Muzzin remains on the point.
HOWE’S THAT FOR A RECORD
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Ex-Leaf Patrick Marleau will beat Gordie Howe’s NHL longevity record in his 1,768th regular season game Monday. After tying Howe Saturday when his San Jose Sharks played Minnesota, the 41-year-old Marleau is set to make history Monday in Vegas.
“Pretty incredible,” Rielly said. “He’s a great person, who really cares about treating people with respect. A great Dad and husband (Marleau’s four sons were frequently hanging with the young Leafs) and I feel fortunate to have played with him. The accomplishment speaks for itself.
“I got a bottle of wine that he signed for me. That’s pretty special.”
LOOSE LEAFS
The Leafs lost their first post-trade-deadline game 4-2 to Montreal, then in overtime to the Flames before three quick Winnipeg goals sank them Thursday. They haven’t lost four straight all season and never since Keefe replaced Mike Babcock … With the Marlies idle, the Leafs took defenceman Rasmus Sandin with them to continue practising. He was on the verge of returning from a foot injury when the Marlies closed their facility until at least this Tuesday … Hyman was fined $5,000 by the league after Thursday’s slashing exchange with Neal Pionk of Winnipeg.
lhornby@postmedia.com
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiVWh0dHBzOi8vdG9yb250b3N1bi5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2hvY2tleS9ueWxhbmRlci1iYWNrLXdpdGgtbWFwbGUtbGVhZnMtYWZ0ZXItY292aWQtc2NhcmXSAYMBaHR0cHM6Ly90b3JvbnRvc3VuLmNvbS9zcG9ydHMvaG9ja2V5L255bGFuZGVyLWJhY2std2l0aC1tYXBsZS1sZWFmcy1hZnRlci1jb3ZpZC1zY2FyZS93Y20vMTdhZGI1MjEtYzUwOS00MDdlLWFiNGUtMjJhNDY0ZTUzMzQ4L2FtcC8?oc=5
2021-04-18 01:33:14Z
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