Nylander to make season debut vs. Red Wings

William Nylander will make his long-awaited return to the Toronto Maple Leafs' lineup Thursday night on home ice versus the Detroit Red Wings, he told reporters on Wednesday.

The Swede missed the team's first 28 games of the season due to a well-documented contract dispute, which ended when he signed a six-year deal minutes before the Dec. 1 deadline.

During Thursday's morning skate, the winger was spotted practicing on a line with Auston Matthews and Patrick Marleau, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton, bumping Kasperi Kapanen off the top unit.

Nylander, 22, notched 61 points in each of the last two seasons with the Leafs.

Toronto posted a 20-8-0 record in Nylander's absence.