Leafs' Nylander says he "couldn't really see" with migraine issue

Before William Nylander ended up as arguably Toronto’s best player in the Maple Leafs’ playoff series against the Boston Bruins, the headlines were rampant with speculation of where exactly he was.

In the hours after Toronto’s crushing 2-1 overtime loss to the Bruins in Game 7 on Saturday night, Nylander confirmed prior reports that he was dealing with a debilitating migraine that had caused him to miss the first three games of the series.

“I couldn’t really see,” Nylander said of the head issue, as per The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke.

William Nylander confirms he was suffering from migraines early in the series and the Leafs staff worried it was a concussion.

“I couldn’t really see,” Nylander says.

— Joshua Kloke (@joshuakloke) May 5, 2024

For a fleeting moment in the series, it seemed like Nylander might be writing the ending to one of the greatest playoff stories in team history.

Before David Pastrnak ended up breaking Toronto’s hearts with a Game 7 overtime-winning goal, Nylander gave the Leafs the lead midway through the third period to make the score 1-0. Just 1:21 later, though, Boston’s Hampus Lindholm tied the game at one goal apiece.

Nylander ended the series with three goals in four games, a team-high.

Nylander also came to the defence of the Leafs’ core group of players, who have now failed to make it out of the first round of the playoffs seven times in the last eight years. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares all ended the series with one goal each.

“Look, I don’t think there’s an issue with the core. I think we’re f**king right there. We battled hard and, I mean, got to Game 7, OT. That’s a sh*tty feeling,” Nylander said, per Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.

Boston advances to the second round of the playoffs and will face the Florida Panthers in a series beginning Monday.

Leafs-Bruins first-round playoff results

Game 1: Boston 5, Toronto 1
Game 2: Toronto 3, Boston 2
Game 3: Boston 4, Toronto 2
Game 4: Boston 3, Toronto 1
Game 5: Toronto 2, Boston 1 (OT)
Game 6: Toronto 2, Boston 1
Game 7: Boston 2, Toronto 1 (OT)