After Monday’s practice, William Nylander discussed his on-camera incident from the press box on Sunday and his progress toward a return from injury.
Nylander: First off, I want to apologize for my actions yesterday. I acted out of frustration, so I am sorry about that.
Leafs players in the press box realized they were on the tv broadcast and William Nylander flipped the bird? 😭 pic.twitter.com/be70R2GuX0
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) January 25, 2026
What were you frustrated about?
Nylander: Just not playing. I wanted to be out there with the guys. I’m just frustrated.
Who was the frustration directed at?
Nylander: It was just frustration. It wasn’t pointed; I don’t know. I was just frustrated.
Did you have an “oh crap” moment after?
Nylander: Sitting there, I got a text message. I was like, “Oh no…” Not a good idea. Not a good thing to do. As I said, I apologize about that.
You haven’t been injured much in your career. What is it like when you’re forced to watch from above?
Nylander: It is nice when the team is winning, and everyone is playing well. I think we have just been unlucky with some games. Not being out there to help the guys is frustrating. I am working every day to get back out there.
Has it been more difficult dealing with an injury, knowing the Olympics are coming up?
Nylander: I mean, I still would’ve dealt with the injury the same way if the Olympics weren’t happening this year, if that is what you are asking. But yeah, it has been frustrating. I haven’t missed this amount of time since I can remember.
Where do you stand in your recovery?
Nylander: Hopefully, I’ll be back playing at some point on the road trip. That is where my mind is at.
When you aggravated it in Vegas, was it during the goal celebration?
Nylander: No, it was on the first shift. Nothing happened with the celebration; I just caught a rut. Nothing happened there. It was before that. It was on the first shift, and I tried to keep playing, but I just didn’t feel great.
How important is it to get into a game or two before the Olympics?
Nylander: It would be nice to get into a game before heading over there. But I want to be back as soon as possible to be playing here and hopefully get some wins before heading over for the Olympics.
How much communication have you had with coach Sam Hallam?
Nylander: Just a little bit. We have some calls coming up here leading up to it. There will be a few calls prior to the Olympics.
Are you hoping that the time off will put the injury in the rear view, or is the injury something you’ll have to deal with going forward?
Nylander: I am hoping it will be [behind] me. It got re-aggravated, which is why I am dealing with it. Sometimes, that happens. Now, we’re just making sure it is 100%.
What gives you confidence that this team can snap out of it and go on a run to make the playoffs?
Nylander: Earlier in the year, we were in the kind of position. We went on a roll there, won a bunch of games, and played really well. I think we have played well for stints of time lately as well. I know it is in there. We can do it. Hopefully, it starts in the next game, and I can jump in when the train is going.
