Auston Matthews returned to practice and nearly took part in a full session. The question is how much longer? Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander has made his latest appearance on television – off the ice. The forward teamed up with Toronto Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse for a new PlayStation commercial, released by the digital distribution service on Friday [https://x.com/PlayStationCA/status/1875268414983262551]. “Play Has No Limits! Watch as https://x.com/wmnylander(William Nylander) and (Sarah Nurse) break from the mundane and show how play brings us all together,” the caption read. The goal of the commercial not only promotes PlayStation but also is used to advocate for inclusivity and a shared passion for the sport. In doing so, the minute-long advertisement showcased the star duo engaging in street hockey with a group of young players as local members of the community drop what they’re doing and all crowd around the fun – even bringing lawn chairs to watch the game unfold. Nylander, shifting through a crowd of young players, finds the back of the net once before hitting a pedestrian in the back with the blue PlayStation ball used in the play. The Swede then showed off his acting skills, with all the players comically pointing his way – putting the blame on the 28-year-old. Nylander, who was guilty, then mouthed the words, “Sarah, are you serious?” The pedestrian, who seemed upset at first glance, then smiled with missing teeth – indicating her role as a hockey player – as she proceeded to jump in to participate in the outing. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6wKZ_R9rGs[/embed] This isn't Nylander’s first go-around starring in ad campaigns. The winger has previously participated in campaigns for Rogers (TTC) and Sonnet Insurance [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2reVLfQCys], showcasing his charm and popularity off the ice. Nurse, too, has become a prominent figure in hockey and pop culture, advocating for women’s hockey as one of the faces of the sport. Playing in his first season of an eight-year, $92 million contract, Nylander leads the Leafs in goals (23) and sits second in points (43) this season. More recently, Nylander has registered 14 points (5G, 9A) over his last 10 games, helping the Leafs maneuver a tough stretch without captain Auston Matthews (upper-body) in the lineup. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjExNjM5NDEwNTc4NDM0MDI0/googlenews.svg] Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwytvfCA?ceid=CA:en&oc=3] to never miss a story.
