BUFFALO -- William Nylander will practice with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time this season on Wednesday, coach Mike Babcock said.
Babcock added that he would like to see the forward make his season debut Thursday when the Maple Leafs host the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET; SNO, FS-D, NHL.TV), when they will be trying for their sixth win in a row.
"Oh Willy, he'll practice [tomorrow]," Babcock said after a 4-3 overtime win at the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. "I hope he's playing. Enough's enough, let's get at it here."
Nylander, who was a restricted free agent and missed the first 27 games of the season, on Saturday signed a six-year contract worth $6.9 million annually and traveled to Toronto on Sunday. He had medical evaluations Monday and said later that day he was expecting to meet with the coaching staff Wednesday.
"Hopefully he can do what Auston [Matthews] does, jump right in like he has not missed a beat," Maple Leafs forward Patrick Marleau said. "It'll be good to have him back and playing."
Babcock has not said who Nylander's linemates will be, though the coach said Monday he has given it considerable thought. Nylander could play on the right wing with Matthews at center, as he has played most of the past two seasons. Marleau would be the left wing with right wing Kasperi Kapanen moving off the line.
Nylander, who was selected No. 8 by the Maple Leafs in the 2014 NHL Draft, had 61 points in each of the past two seasons and has 135 points (48 goals, 87 assists) in 185 NHL games.
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