William Nylander revealed his thoughts on his crosscheck to Nate Schmidt and the potential consequences of the incident.
During Toronto's 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday, William Nylander was given a double minor for cross-checking Panthers player Nate Schmidt in the face and could have had further consequences if the NHL decided so.
But Nylander avoided further punishment and now is focused on helping Toronto get back into the win column against Tampa Bay. After practice on Friday, Nylander gave his thoughts on the whole ordeal, as related by TSN's Mark Masters on X.
William Nylander's Comments On Double Minor Penalty
Nylander, who is enjoying another fantastic season and leads the Maple Leafs with 14 goals so far, opened up regarding how he viewed the play going down, chalking it up to an accident:
'I think what happened was he came to box me out & I wanted to box him out back & got him high. Didn't mean to do that.'
It's a simple case of two players having the same idea and one getting caught in the crossfire. Nylander is not a malicious player and was feeling frustrated at the fact that Toronto was struggling hard against a Florida team they needed to make a statement against.
Toronto couldn't afford to have Nylander out of the lineup, although they will be welcoming back Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies so if he were to miss a game it wouldn't completely handicap the team.
The NHL has been busy in recent weeks as well. They handed out suspensions to Ryan Reaves and Tanner Jeannot, and released a video outlining their rules for a headshot given how much controversy they have created with their action or lack thereof.
Since being drafted 8th overall by the Maple Leafs in 2014, he has put up fantastic numbers which include 231 goals, 321 assists in 625 games and is coming off back-to-back 40-goal seasons.
FAQ: William Nylander Breaks Silence On Double Minor Penalty
Q1: What did William Nylander say about his double minor penalty?
A1: Nylander reiterated that both players were trying to do the same thing to each other and Schmidt got caught in the crossfire. It was a rough scene that led to the double minor.
Q2: When does the NHL suspend players?
A2: Every incident is reviewed by the league and the Department of Player Safety then determines if a further hearing is required for the player. William Nylander's case was determined to be a one-off and the penalty was enough.
In closing, William Nylander got no further punishment from the league for his accidental cross-check on Nate Schmidt, cleared up any questions regarding his intent, and reiterated it was just an accident. It's a positive that Schmidt is okay, and that Nylander can play and not watch from the press box.
