Craig Berube’s vague explanation on what’s wrong with William Nylander

The Toronto Maple Leafs will face the Montreal Canadiens in a preseason matchup tonight, but fans in Toronto were more focused (and worried) about the absence of star forward William Nylander at practice earlier today.

Toronto’s top-six remains a topic of concern as the team navigates an already uncertain roster, and Nylander’s absence only adds to that unease. Alongside Nylander, defenseman Simon Benoit is also unavailable. Benoit is recovering from an injury sustained during training camp, leaving the Leafs with gaps to manage in both forward and defensive lines.

While Nylander was one of many of the Leafs top players left off tonight’s roster, head coach Craig Berube still had to provide an update on his star player, but offered little clarity, suggesting it was simply a “maintenance day.”

“Camp kind of stuff, you know, you get a little banged-up, but he’s fine. That’s all it was,” Berube said.

While there’s no indication of a serious issue, Leafs fans will be watching closely to ensure Nylander’s absence is brief. Maintaining a healthy roster is critical as the preseason continues and the team works to solidify its top-six forward group before the 2025-26 regular season officially kicks off.

In the meantime, it was also announced that Nylander, who had previously joked about it, started his own YouTube channel. Nylander has created his first YouTube Short, highlighting his channel and what it will be about.