The Leafs' absence was at the forefront of discussions as they prepared for Game 1 against the Boston Bruins yesterday. It came as a surprise, given that he had played in all 82 games this season and many thought he was just given a maintenance day.
Nylander woke up Thursday morning and felt some discomfort, according to Chris Johnston and Darren Dreger. There is no way to know if it was a lingering issue or something new, as CJ and Dreger had conflicting information.
If it is something he had been playing through, it may explain why he ended the season on an 11-game goalless streak, only registering 4 assists.
If Nylander is unable to play tonight, it would cause a major shakeup among the Leafs forward lines, which is not how you want to begin the playoffs.
