Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander appears to have avoided a serious injury after leaving Thursday night’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. Nylander exited midway through the first period following a collision with a Canadiens defenseman and did not return, but the team and head coach Craig Berube have indicated there’s no long-term concern.
“He’ll be OK. He’s fine. Nothing to worry about,” Berube said when asked about Nylander’s condition after the game.
Some call what Robertson did “bush league” and unwise, but others, including Robertson, said it was just a fluke thing gone wrong. The injury occurred just before the eight-minute mark of the first period. As the Maple Leafs transitioned into the offensive zone, Nylander fell after being knocked off balance by teammate Nicholas Robertson and collided head-first into a Montreal player’s leg.
The Maple Leafs (or Nylander himself) decided it was best he not return for the remainder of the game as a precautionary measure. Some believe Berube didn’t understand that decision, but that’s speculation. Either way, it led to initial worries from fans about Nylander’s status.
With the regular season approaching, the fact that Nylander’s injury is not expected to linger is a huge relief for Toronto. Toronto is going to need him if they hope to have any success this season and he’ll play a crucial role in the team’s offense. He scored 40 goals and 98 points in 80 games last season.
This might not even be a situation where the team feels they need to monitor Nylander closely. While the player has a headache and concussion history, early indications suggest he’ll be ready for the remainder of the preseason and the start of the regular season.
Should the Maple Leafs Drop Marner for Shesterkin?
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun asked an intriguing question while he was a guest on TSN OverDrive on Thursday. After a discussion about how Igor Shesterkin is trying to “reset the market” on goaltender salaries, he threw out a wild scenario where the Toronto Maple Leafs might want to watch this situation closely.
He noted toward the end of the discussion:
“Let’s make this about the Leafs, cause why not? If the Leafs get bounced out in the first round and Marner hasn’t signed yet, and Shesterkin hasn’t signed yet, and it’s July 1 and you’ve got a shot at either one still… what do you do?”
The suggestion here is that goalies are undervalued when it comes to their impact on the game and are paid too little of the percentage of the salary cap. The argument is that Shesterkin is going to get his money from somewhere and it’s wiser to invest in an elite netminder who can and will win you games than another elite-level forward, of which the Maple Leafs have a few. Essentially, if the combination of the core in Toronto isn’t working, netminders like Shesterkin don’t become available often, if at all.
Everyone on the show thought the same thing: that the Maple Leafs pivot and go after the star goaltender. Jeff O’Neill responded, “You’re clearly going after Shesterkin to do something different, Pierre.” Bryan Hayes followed that up and said, “It would mandatory you take a run at Shesterkin, assuming you could get him.” He added, “You have to finally, after nine years, say this core isn’t going to work for us.”
Hayes said it’s not necessarily an indictment on Marner, but the collection of the core has to be changed if the Leafs bow out of the playoffs early. He contends they should “mix it up and bring in a No. 1 stud goalie that might change the complexion of your team.”
Jamie McLennan brought up an interesting point and asked what happens if Joseph Woll plays well for Toronto. If Woll isn’t the reason the Maple Leafs struggle in the playoffs, should the Maple Leafs still go after Shesterkin, just because he might be available? Hayes responded that Woll playing well would be a best-case scenario because he’s going to be so much cheaper than Shesterkin, who is rumored to be looking to $11 or $12 million per season.
McLennan then asked if the Leafs go after a different forward to change the dynamic and go after someone like Mikko Rantanen or whoever else is available. “Perfect world scenario, but if that’s not the case, you’ve got to adjust on the fly,” said Hayes.
It’s an intriguing debate because any scenario where the Maple Leafs could land someone like Shesterkin feels like it has to be explored, even if Woll is pegged as the No. 1 guy and shows he’s capable. But, how good would Woll have to be before the Leafs don’t explore that option?
It’s key to remember here that LeBrun is only pointing out a scenario that could theoretically happen but isn’t likely to. Sure, Marner might not sign with Toronto and Shesterkin might explore free agency if the New York Rangers can’t get him signed, but it’s not necessarily as simple as dropping Marner and going after Shesterkin.
The Maple Leafs don’t want to lose Marner for nothing. Letting him walk to free agency because the organization feels the need for a change is risky, especially if there are no guarantees that Shesterkin is leaning Toronto’s way. Frankly, it’s as likely, in this crazy scenario, that Marner walks and Shesterkin signs elsewhere, meaning the Leafs are left with nothing. That leaves them merely hoping they can sign a forward to replace Marner at a lower cost.
The Curious Case of the Leafs’ Goaltending
A lot has to happen for this to be something that becomes a real possibility next July. It’s a fascinating idea, but the odds either team or either player get to this point are low.
It seems the Maple Leafs are going through a bit of a goaltending transition, and while a goalie like Shesterkin certainly fits the bill as a game-changer, the organization still has Joseph Woll, who’s proven himself to be a solid option in the AHL and showed glimpses of his potential in limited NHL appearances. It’s unclear how far they’d be willing to go to go for Shesterkin even if the price tag is high.
Ultimately, the Maple Leafs have some crucial decisions to make in the coming months, and this scenario presents some interesting possibilities for the future of the team’s core. This situation will need to be monitored closely as the season progresses.
