Maple Leafs sign Alex Nylander to prorated one-year, $775,000 contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed winger Alex Nylander to a prorated one-year, $775,000 contract.

The signing come amidst a flurry of injuries for the Leafs’ forwards, as they’re currently without Auston Matthews, Max Domi, Max Pacioretty, Calle Jarnkrok, David Kampf, and Matthew Knies due to injuries, as well as Ryan Reaves due to a five-game suspension. With the Leafs announcing that the recently-injured Knies would not be available for Sunday’s game against Utah Hockey Club and will be placed on injured reserve, the Leafs needed a bit more forward depth, and are looking to Nylander to help out.

Nylander had already had an AHL contract with the Leafs minor league affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, and had been playing for the team up to this point. By signing him to an NHL deal, it will allow him to play for the Maple Leafs.

There are currently no details regarding any no-move/no-trade clauses or signing bonuses with Nylander’s contract. While his cap hit remains the same as last season, he sees a slight downgrade in salary with it being prorated due to the signing coming later into the season. His prorated salary is approximately $577,000.

Nylander was previously an unrestricted free agent after the conclusion of his one-year, $775,000 contract that he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins and finished with the Columbus Blue Jackets. His expiry status with the deal was actually as a restricted free agent, but the Blue Jackets did not qualify him, making him a UFA.

It was a bit surprising that Nylander wasn’t qualified by the Blue Jackets or given an NHL contract in free agency, as he had one of his more productive seasons in the NHL, particularly when he was traded to Columbus close to the 2024 trade deadline. In 28 games last year, he had 11 goals and 4 assists for 15 points, with all of those points coming in the 23 games he played with the Blue Jackets.

Nylander is also the brother of long-time Maple Leafs winger William Nylander. Despite both brothers having been drafted eighth-overall two years apart, William has had the much more successful career of the two.

Despite all of the injuries to their forward depth, the Leafs have still found success with wins in six of their last seven games. They’ll look to continue that stretch on Sunday when they host Utah at 7 p.m. EST. Toronto currently sits in first place in the Atlantic Division with a 12-6-2 record.