Alex Nylander has never quite been able to make his mark in the NHL since being selected by the Sabres at the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo eight years ago. Even after an impressive showing at the end of last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the former first-rounder could not find another NHL opportunity and is now on the move again, signing an AHL contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.
After an excellent showing at the 2016 World Junior for Sweden and an excellent year with the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League, Nylander was selected eighth overall ahead of names such as Mikhail Sergachev, Charlie McAvoy, Jakob Chychrun, and current Sabre Tage Thompson. The winger spent three seasons in the Buffalo organization, splitting time between the NHL and AHL Rochester before being swapped to Chicago for Henri Jokiharju in July 2019.
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Nylander scored a career-high 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in 65 games for the Hawks in the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season, but was relegated to AHL Rockford the next season and dealt to Pittsburgh for Sam Lafferty in January 2022. The younger brother of Leafs winger William enjoyed his greatest success with the Penguins AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, scoring 112 points (56 goals, 56 assists) in 142 games over three seasons, but only played 14 NHL games with the Penguins before being traded to the Blue Jackets in February for winger Emil Bemstrom.
The 26-year-old winger made the most of his opportunity with Columbus, scoring 11 goals in 23 games, but the Blue Jackets chose not to give him a qualifying offer. With Toronto, the younger Nylander could eventually earn an NHL deal, but he will start on a minor-league deal and play for the Leafs AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.
