Sweden's William Nylander waits for a pass during an ice hockey friendly match Sweden vs Canada in Helsinki, Finland Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015 prior the 2016 IIHF World Junior U20 Ice Hockey Championships tournament. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva via AP FINLAND OUT
Republished January 03, 2016 - 8:19 AM
Original Publication Date January 03, 2016 - 5:30 AM
HELSINKI - Swedish forward William Nylander will miss the rest of the world junior hockey championship due to a suspected concussion.
The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect hasn't played since Switzerland's Chris Egli levelled him with a bodycheck to the upper body in Sweden's opening game on Dec. 26.
"The decision for William not to play the rest of the tournament was the right decision," Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello said Sunday in a statement. "He will return to Toronto and be re-evaluated by our team physicians. We have been in constant communication with the Swedish Federation and have been supportive of all their decisions throughout this process."
Sweden's team doctor told reporters on Thursday that the team had hoped Nylander would play later in the tournament. Sweden will play host Finland in the semifinals on Monday.
Nylander has slipped to second in the American Hockey League scoring race while in Finland for the tournament. He has 14 goals and 20 assists for the Toronto Marlies this season.
He scored on his first shot at the world juniors before leaving Sweden's 8-3 rout of Switzerland after the hit by Egli, who was given a three-game suspension.
Swedish defenceman Adam Ollas Mattsson is also out for the rest of the tournament with a lower-body injury.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016