Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander's absence from the lineup is due to a migraine so severe that the club's medical staff tested him to see if he had a concussion, sources told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Team doctors have been unable to diagnose Nylander's exact condition, Friedman adds.
The productive winger missed the first three games of the Maple Leafs' first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins, in which Toronto trails 2-1 following a 4-2 loss in Game 3 on Wednesday night. He played all 82 regular-season games and matched his career high of 40 goals while setting new personal bests in assists (58) and points.
Nylander's absence from Game 1 was only the second time he'd been forced out of the lineup due to injury and the first such instance since November 2016.
The Swede, who'll turn 28 on May 1, revealed in September 2022 that he switched to a tinted visor because of recurring migraines he endured one season prior.
Toronto is sorely missing Nylander's contributions in the postseason. He has 17 goals and 23 assists in 50 career playoff games, including four tallies and six helpers in 11 such contests last spring.
Nylander is in his ninth season with the Maple Leafs, who drafted him eighth overall in 2014.
