Toronto Marlies sign Alex Nylander to one-year, AHL contract

As if fans in Toronto hadn’t had enough talking about one Nylander, now they can talk about two.

On Sunday, the Toronto Marlies, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced they have signed forward Alex Nylander to a one-year, AHL contract.

Nylander has spent most of his North American pro career going back and forth between the AHL and NHL, ever since he was taken in the first round, eighth overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2016 NHL Draft.

While the brother of William Nylander certainly has the tools to be an effective scorer, he has been unable to put it all together to be an everyday NHLer. His prominent years came with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he played the entire (COVID-shortened) 2019-20 season, appearing in 65 games, setting career-highs in goals (10), assists (16) and points (26).

After spending over two years with the Blackhawks, Nylander was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in January 2022. Over the past two seasons, the Swedish forward played just 14 games with the Penguins, scoring a goal and an assist in 2022-23.

After five games with Pittsburgh, and 43 games with their primary affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Nylander was on the move again, being acquired by the Columbus Blue Jackets, along with a 2026 draft pick, in February of this past season for EmilBemstrom. Nylander played 23 games with Columbus, notching 11 goals and four assists.

In 121 NHL games, Nylander has scored 25 goals and 24 assists, playing in all eight of the Blackhawks playoff games during the 2020 postseason. In 330 AHL appearances, the 26-year-old has registered 94 goals and 116 assists, including six points in nine Calder Cup Playoff games.

Nylander has plenty of experience playing for Sweden. The former Mississauga Steelhead played for Tre Kronor at the 2017 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge, winning bronze. Nylander was on the Swedish roster that won silver at the 2015 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship.