New Toronto Marlies winger Alex Nylander is thrilled about the opportunity to join his brother William Nylander in the heart of hockey next season. Big brother shares the excitement.
“He was obviously really happy,” Alex said in an interview with TSN on Tuesday. “We’re both looking forward to this—it’s going to be fantastic. I’ve watched the Leafs more than any other team, so I know them well. We’ll be living together and everything. It doesn’t get much better than this.”
However, there’s a potential for even more. After signing an American Hockey League contract with the Marlies, Alex is aiming for an NHL contract to play alongside William with the Maple Leafs.
“It motivates me even more,” the 26-year-old forward said during a Zoom call from Stockholm. “He’ll be around all the time, seeing my progress and pushing me, just as I’ll push him. Playing together on the same team would be incredible.”
The last time Alex and William Nylander played together was at the 2016 World Juniors, where they were linemates and made a significant impact during pre-tournament play. They teamed up for Sweden’s opening goal of the tournament, but William was sidelined shortly after by a blindside hit from Swiss forward Chris Egli.
“We’re kind of similar players,” Alex remarked. “We both can shoot and pass well. We like to control the puck and create plays. I have a good sense of what he’s going to do, and his skill allows him to find me easily. Our chemistry is strong.”
Their on-ice chemistry continues into the off-season, where they train together. However, they weren’t always on the same team during summer scrimmages.
“We’ve been playing together for the past few summers,” Alex said with a smile. “They had to pair us up to avoid arguments because we’d get so competitive. It was better to keep us on the same team.”
William, drafted by the Leafs eighth overall in 2014, has been with the same NHL team ever since. He recently had a career year, scoring 98 points in 82 games, earning an All-Star Game invite, and securing an eight-year, $92 million contract extension. At 28, he shows no signs of slowing down.
“He’s just getting better every day,” Alex said, admiring his brother. “He’s always striving to improve and proving he wants to be among the best. His determination and effort, both on and off the ice, inspire me. It’s incredible to see how hard he works towards that Stanley Cup.”
The Nylander brothers see each other nearly every day during the summer, but William did not push Alex to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“He gave me the space to make my own decision,” Alex explained. “It’s a major choice in my career. My goal is to play in the NHL, so we needed to choose what was best for me, not just because he’s there. Ultimately, given the options we had, this was the best decision for me.”
Alex had a “great conversation” with Leafs management, who emphasized that playing in Toronto would ensure significant visibility.
Since being selected eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2016, Alex has struggled to maintain a spot in the NHL. He appeared in only 19 games with the Sabres over three seasons before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman Henri Jokiharju.
During the 2019-20 season with the Blackhawks, Alex scored 10 goals in 65 games. However, a knee injury sustained during the bubble playoffs required surgery and disrupted his momentum. The Blackhawks later traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for forward Sam Lafferty on January 5, 2022.
Alex scored just one goal in 14 games with the Penguins over the past two seasons. Despite this, he performed well in the AHL, with 25 goals and 25 assists in 55 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the 2022-23 season, and 17 goals and 15 assists in 43 games last season.
In February, the Penguins traded Alex and a conditional sixth-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward Emil Bemstrom. The change of scenery sparked a turnaround, as Alex scored 11 goals and added four assists in 23 games with the Jackets.
What made the difference?
“I decided to just play my game as I had in the AHL,” he said. “Building confidence is key. You have to work hard every shift and keep moving your feet. I just allowed myself to play more freely.”
The upcoming season won’t be the Nylander siblings’ first time together in the Greater Toronto Area. Alex previously played for the Mississauga Steelheads during the 2015-16 season, while William began that year with the Marlies before moving up to the Leafs.
“It’s a huge hockey city, and the fans are fantastic,” Alex noted. “There’s definitely a bit more pressure playing with the Leafs because of the big market, but William says it’s great. He loves it. I always enjoy visiting Toronto, and we both really like the city.”
The Nylander brothers plan to arrive in Toronto in early September. Until then, they will continue to challenge each other both on the ice and on the golf course in Sweden.
“He’s so good at golf,” Alex laughed. “It’s unfair. But I’m improving. He claims he’s a two or four handicap, but he’s actually a scratch golfer. I don’t want to play with strokes; I just want to go even. My handicap is around eight, so he’s usually the winner. He’s better than me on the golf course too, but I’m getting there. It’s a lot of fun and good competition. We always strive to outdo each other, no matter what we’re doing.”
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