Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander was back on the ice for Sweden’s gameday skate Wednesday after missing the team’s practice on Tuesday.
Nylander worked on Sweden’s top power-play unit during the session, suggesting he may play against host Italy as the men’s tournament gets underway Wednesday.
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Swedish coach Sam Hallam remained non-committal on Nylander’s status despite his return to the ice.
“I’m not really sure yet ... I need to check with the medical staff and Willy,” Hallam said. “He looked good out there ... We’re not going to risk anything for tonight, but if he feels good he’s going to play”
Nylander returned from a nagging groin injury on Jan. 31 and proceeded to produce one goal and three assists during Toronto’s three-game winning streak heading into the Olympic break.
Nylander sustained a groin injury in a game against the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 27. He missed the next six games before returning to the Leafs lineup on Jan. 10. He played four games before re-aggravating the injury during a game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 15. He missed the next seven games, which was the longest injury-related absence of his NHL career.
Sweden will also play Slovakia and Finland in the preliminary round. Every team is guaranteed to advance to the next stage of the tournament.
