Alex Nylander's Journey To The Leafs Differed From His Brother's, But Can He Become A Permanent Fixture?

As the Toronto Maple Leafs prepare to take on the Utah Hockey Club Sunday, the focus for many will be on the first time the Nylander brothers play on the same NHL team. But while most people know about William Nylander’s rise to NHL prominence, Alexander Nylander is less of a known quantity. So let’s take a closer look at what he’s done thus far in professional hockey, and the opportunity he now has with the Buds.

Two years younger than 28-year-old William Nylander, Alex Nylander has had a rougher ride to get to hockey’s top league. Both brothers were selected eighth overall in their respective draft years, but while William quickly established himself as a bona fide NHLer, Alex Nylander needed three full years at the American League level before he got his first full NHL season with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019-20. Alex Nylander put up decent-enough numbers in that season, posting 10 goals and 26 points in 65 games.

However, Alex Nylander would be sent back to the AHL for the following three seasons, and he improved every year, finally generating 25 goals and 50 points in 55 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the 2022-23 campaign. But as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Alex Nylander played only 14 NHL games over two seasons while shuttling back-and-forth between the NHL and AHL. Finally, in 2023-24, Alex Nylander put up 11 goals and 15 points in 23 games as a Columbus Blue Jacket – numbers that drew interest in Nylander’s services from multiple teams this past summer.

Alex Nylander could’ve signed elsewhere and played in the NHL right away, but the opportunity to play on the same team as William was too tempting to pass up. And Alex Nylander understood he’d have to prove himself to Leafs management before he got a shot at NHL action in Blue and White. That’s exactly what he did with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, putting up eight goals and 12 points in 14 games before signing a one-year, $775,000 deal with the Leafs. And Leafs coach Craig Berube seemed happy to have Alex Nylander on board.

“He has earned it,” Berube said of Alex Nylander’s NHL contract with Toronto. “Injuries happen, and guys get an opportunity. (Alex) went to Columbus last year and did a pretty good job. He scored some goals there in the NHL. He has NHL experience, which is good. We are all excited for him. I know his brother is really excited. (William Nylander) was scoring a lot of goals today in practice.”

Alex Nylander will start his Leafs career on the third line, on the right wing with youngsters Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin. He’s probably not going to be on the same line as his brother, but Alex Nylander may get the chance to play together on one of Toronto’s power play units.

Alex and William Nylander are both right-handed shots, so there’s not a natural fit to play together. But Berube may give them that opportunity on the Leafs’ second PP unit. And Berube spoke highly of Alex Nylander when reporters questioned him about the player.

“He has skill,” Berube said of Alex Nylander. “He scores a lot in the American League and has played well down there. He has good hands, vision, and can score goals.”

In any case, Alex Nylander has a bona fide shot at sticking with the Leafs over the long term. When Toronto’s injured players return, that opportunity may not be there for him, so he needs to quickly produce offense to justify keeping himself on the NHL roster.

Alex Nylander would have to be waived if the Leafs try to send him back to the Marlies, and there probably will be teams willing to claim him on waivers. But hockey players are trained to live in the moment, and at this moment, Alex Nylander has the chance to remain in Toronto and play with William Nylander until further notice. It will be fascinating to see how the situation develops, and whether Alex Nylander will step up to the plate and hit a home run or two as a Maple Leaf.

If he can do that, he'll stick around Leafs Land for the foreseeable future.

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