FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to feature two Nylanders on their top power-play unit on Wednesday when they face the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
Alex Nylander, fresh off his Leafs debut, will step into the top unit, joining his brother William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, John Tavares, and Mitch Marner.
The Leafs went 1-for-6 on the power play during their 3-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday, with Fraser Minten, whom Nylander will replace, assisting on the lone power-play goal.
So why Alex?
"Well, skill. Right in, you know, right-handed shot. We just kind of moved it around a little bit today, so we'll see how it looks," coach Craig Berube explained. "But he's definitely got the ability to score goals in that slot area and make plays."
Minten is a left-handed shot. He will be on the second unit with Oliver Ekman Larsson, Conor Timmins, Nick Robertson and Bobby McMann.
Alex has shown flashes of his offensive potential, notably scoring 11 goals in 23 games late last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Tavares highlighted the advantages of including a second Nylander in the power-play mix.
"I think he's got tremendous poise. He's shown in the league his ability to make plays and contribute offensively, showed that obviously last year and then finished the season great," Tavares said. "And I think just being around him here, he's got some similar characteristics to his brother and very sure of himself and believes in himself, believes in his game and what he can do.
"I think he plays off of the type of skill players we’ve got on the power play really well. So, I would want to maximize his skill set and excited to have him contribute."
Alex journey to the Leafs has been intriguing. Signed to an AHL-only deal in the summer, injuries at the forward position opened the door for him. The Leafs upgraded his contract to a one-year, $775,000 NHL deal last week. He had 10:37 of ice time with two shots on goal in his team debut.
Unlike some recent call-ups, Nylander would require waivers to be sent down, making it more likely he’ll stick with the big club for the foreseeable future.
Selected eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2016 NHL Draft, Alex playing for his 5th NHL club. He has 25 goals and 24 assists in 122 career NHL games.
