Maple Leafs' Matthews, Nylander return vs. Canucks
Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander are in the lineup Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks, head coach Sheldon Keefe said, according to TSN's Mark Masters.
Matthews missed Thursday's game against the Winnipeg Jets due to a wrist injury. Keefe said the ailment was similar to but not the same one that kept Matthews out earlier in the campaign. The star pivot leads the NHL with 32 goals.
Nylander missed Toronto's last five games while he was in COVID-19 protocol. The Swede has 30 points in 39 contests this season.
Pierre Engvall and Adam Brooks will come out of the lineup to make room for Matthews and Nylander. Here are Toronto's projected forward lines based on Saturday's practice:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Galchenyuk | Auston Matthews | Mitch Marner |
| Nick Robertson | John Tavares | William Nylander |
| Ilya Mikheyev | Alexander Kerfoot | Zach Hyman |
| Joe Thornton | Jason Spezza | Wayne Simmonds |
The Leafs are looking to get back in the win column after dropping their last three games. Meanwhile, the Canucks are playing in their first game since March 24 due to their COVID outbreak.