There’s something entertaining about watching the Olympics while the Toronto Maple Leafs sit at home and wait for their players to come back in one piece. You get these little windows into how guys look outside the NHL grind, how they handle different roles, and what their bodies can and can’t take in the middle of February.
For Toronto, these games are turning into a mixed bag. You have one star pushing through something, another trying to stay useful in a smaller role, and the franchise cornerstone on the Team U.S. side doing exactly what you’d expect him to do: drive play and score. It all adds up to a tournament that’s giving the Maple Leafs plenty to think about.
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At the same time, every shift these players take abroad has ripple effects back in Toronto. Whether the Maple Leafs eventually buy or sell at the deadline, or simply try to get healthy for a stretch run, what’s happening in Milan is shaping the story. Some of it’s encouraging, some of it’s a little uneasy, and some of it just reminds you how quickly the landscape can change for this roster. With that in mind, here are three storylines worth digging into.
Item One: William Nylander Managing Minutes as Sweden Prepares for a Crucial Test
William Nylander picked up a primary assist in Sweden’s 4–1 loss to Finland, and this morning, they beat Team Slovakia 5–3. But the real conversation is about the fact he’s missed two practices for “maintenance” and is trying his best to shrug it off. Nylander admitted that he’s never really managed something like this before, which runs counter to the usual nonchalant answers he gives when he’s banged up.
This should catch the Maple Leafs’ attention. Nylander is always a force for Sweden in international play; he thrives in these tournaments. So when he’s just barely holding things together enough to get through games, that suggests he’s dealing with a little more than he’s used to. The Maple Leafs are watching one of their most important players push through an issue instead of resting it, and that’s always a gamble.
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When he returns to Toronto, the picture changes again. If Nylander uses the break after the tournament to reset and get healthy, everything looks fine. But if he’s still managing something, then the Maple Leafs are lining up for the stretch drive with a star forward at something less than full capacity. For a team that already has little margin for error, that’s a storyline with real weight.
It has been a pretty quiet Olympic tournament for Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who didn’t hit the ice until midway through the first period against Team Finland and hasn’t seen much more than spot duty from there. To his credit, he isn’t complaining. He made it clear he knew exactly how Sweden planned to use him, and he’s taking the roster spot for what it is: . He even said it felt good just to get a few shifts under his belt and be ready for whatever comes next.
Back home, he’s right in the middle of the chatter. If the Maple Leafs pivot toward selling at the deadline, Ekman-Larsson is one of their most obvious trade chips. Ironically, his limited role with Sweden is also a reminder of what he is on a contending team. He’s useful, experienced, and calm with the puck. But he’s just not a player a playoff club pays a first-rounder for. A second-round pick, however, might be on the table, because he can still help a team in need of steady minutes without asking for the moon.
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For now, he’s embracing what Sweden needs from him. Roles can shift quickly in these short tournaments, and Ekman-Larsson looks like a veteran who understands that perfectly. Still, once the Olympics end, the Maple Leafs will have to decide whether he fits their plans beyond this season.
Item Three: Auston Matthews Driving Team U.S. vs. Team Denmark
Auston Matthews and the United States head into their matchup with Denmark looking every bit like a team that expects to control its destiny. Matthews already found the back of the net in a 5–1 win over Team Latvia, skating with Jake Guentzel and Matt Boldy, and that trio hasn’t missed a beat.
What gives this particular game a Maple Leafs twist is the guy between the pipes for Denmark: Matthews’ old friend Frederik Andersen. Those two spent long stretches of the COVID shutdown together at Matthews’ place in Arizona, so if anyone knows his release, it’s Andersen.
The Americans can’t look past this one, though. Germany, led by Leon Draisaitl and Moritz Seider, is the real threat to Team USA’s momentum. Denmark pushed Germany before falling 3–1, and they’ll certainly be motivated to give Andersen all the help they can. Matthews, meanwhile, is leading the Americans, and the chemistry with his wingers looks like it’s building into something dangerous.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
Once these players return to Toronto, the Maple Leafs have a lot of sorting out to do. Nylander’s health, Ekman-Larsson’s trade value, and Matthews’ workload all feed into completely different parts of the organization’s spring strategy. If the team decides to sell, they’ll be weighing what Ekman-Larsson can bring back. If they decide to load up, Nylander’s health is a pillar of that plan. No matter what, Matthews remains the centrepiece of everything they do.
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The Olympics are fun, but the reality is simple: when these guys fly back across the Atlantic, the Maple Leafs are staring at a compressed schedule, a messy playoff race, and decisions that will shape the franchise’s next few years. What they learned overseas — and what their players bring home — is going to matter more than anyone expected when the tournament began.
