In a recent pre-season game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens, star forward William Nylander left the ice midway through the first period after a collision. The incident occurred when Nylander, skating back to defend a rush, was unexpectedly pushed by teammate Nick Robertson, causing him to lose balance and collide headfirst into the leg of Canadiens forward Christian Dvorak. Nylander was held out for the remainder of the game for precautionary reasons. 
Head coach Craig Berube addressed concerns post-game, stating, “Willy will be fine. Nothing to worry about.” Nylander himself downplayed the incident, attributing it partly to the soft ice conditions contributing to his fall. He also mentioned that Robertson reached out after the game, and Nylander reassured him, especially since Robertson scored the game-winning goal.
Teammates expressed relief seeing Nylander back on the ice. Mitch Marner commented, “It’s a scary situation when you kind of get that neck crank like that into a shin pad. Great seeing him in good spirits.” Nylander’s prompt return to practice indicates no lingering effects from the collision, allowing the Maple Leafs to focus on their upcoming games with their star forward in good health.
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