After a season-opening loss to the Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs seem to have regained momentum with consecutive wins over the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins. They aim to continue building on this in their upcoming game against the Los Angeles Kings. However, the team may be facing a setback as veteran forward William Nylander missed Tuesday’s practice due to illness, leaving his status for Wednesday’s game uncertain, according to Luke Fox of Sportsnet.

In Nylander’s potential absence, head coach Craig Berube is counting on the rest of the roster to step up. While this doesn’t suggest major lineup changes for everyone, it does signal a larger role for Max Pacioretty. Per insider David Alter, Pacioretty practiced with the No. 1 power-play unit alongside Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and John Tavares.

A 17-year NHL veteran, Pacioretty brings plenty of power-play experience, having accumulated 175 points in 905 career games, including 80 goals and 95 assists with the man advantage. The Maple Leafs hope his expertise will spark their power play, which has struggled to start the 2024-25 season, going 0-for-9 after finishing sixth in the league last year.

Despite the slow start, Pacioretty remains optimistic, telling The Hockey Writers’ Nick Barden that he’s not concerned about the lack of early production. “It’s really not a concern in my mind,” he said after Tuesday’s practice. “We have some of the most elite players in the world here, and it’s going to come.”

Signed to a one-year deal on Oct. 7, Pacioretty has one goal in three games so far with the Leafs and has logged over six minutes on the power play. While he may not match Nylander’s skill, his veteran presence could help revitalize the team’s power-play unit. His exact role in the game against the Kings will be determined after Wednesday’s practice.