BUFFALO — The thing about adversity is you don’t get to choose when it hits.

Nah. It chooses you.

And, boy, has it targeted the Toronto Maple Leafs early this season.

William Nylander — the team’s leading scorer (14 points) and most impactful ice-tilter (plus-4) this season — left Friday’s 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in the third after absorbing a hard cross-check from Jason Zucker, who was returning from an injury of his own.

Watching the Leafs attempt to dig out of another self-inflicted second-period deficit without their most reliable game-breaker at the ready provided a chilling snapshot of how swiftly depth can evaporate.

Could the durable Nylander — an expert at slipping hits who hasn’t missed a regular-season match since 2021-22 — miss Saturday’s rematch at home against the

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