Toronto Maple Leafs narrowly avoided embarrassing clerical error involving Nylander
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be sure to check their paperwork more closely in future games.
During last night’s 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators to wrap up their first-round playoff series, William Nylander came to play when it mattered most. On his 29th birthday, the Leafs forward scored a pair of goals, including a late-game empty-netter to put the series to bed.
But he almost wasn’t able to play due to a clerical error.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared pregame that while there was a Nylander listed on Toronto’s pregame lineup sheet, it was actually his younger brother, Alex, with No. 92 registered instead of William’s signature No. 88.
Alex, who spent much of the year with the Toronto Marlies but played five games for the Leafs this season, was called up to the playoff roster earlier this week, along with 13 teammates, after the team’s AHL playoffs came to an end.
“It could have been disastrous for Toronto.”@FriedgeHNIC and the panel discuss a lineup mistake switching the Nylander brothers, which could have led to William Nylander being removed from the game. pic.twitter.com/8hGQPu0qTG
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 2, 2025
Before the game began, though, the error was recognized, and the lineup card was pre-submitted.
“It could have been disastrous for Toronto,” Friedman reported. “If an on- or off-ice official notices, which clearly someone did, you can go to the team and make the correction. You can fix that. But if the puck had dropped, and the game had been started, William Nylander could’ve been removed from the game.”
Friedman didn’t specify who exactly on Toronto would have submitted the lineup card to the league, but you can bet that they probably got a pretty stern talking to from a member of the team’s brass when the mistake was realized.
Thankfully for the Leafs and the Nylander brothers, the final Battle of Ontario game this season wasn’t impacted by a bit of careless scorekeeping.
Toronto moves on to the second round of the playoffs to face the Florida Panthers, with both teams still awaiting an official schedule release.