The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed Alex Nylander, the younger brother of star forward William Nylander, to a minor league contract. This deal, announced on Sunday, gives Alex Nylander a chance to join his brother and potentially make the Leafs’ roster.
While the Leafs have struggled to secure meaningful contracts beyond the league minimum, this move is a low-risk opportunity. If Alex Nylander performs well, it will benefit the team without significant financial risk; if not, the cost will be minimal.
This decision is seen as a smart, low-risk move by Brad Treliving and the Leafs, especially given the circumstances following Kyle Dubas’s departure from the organization.
Technically, it’s the Toronto Marlies, the Leafs’ AHL affiliate, that signed Nylander. He is expected to excel in the AHL, and if he doesn’t secure an NHL spot during training camp, he could still be called up as an injury replacement later in the season.
It is somewhat surprising that Nylander had to settle for an AHL contract, considering he scored 11 goals in 23 games with Columbus last season, demonstrating a strong scoring pace. Despite a high shooting percentage inflating his stats, Nylander has a career Corsi rating above 50% and tends to perform well in his minutes, despite playing on several struggling teams.
Drafted 8th overall, Nylander has considerable talent but has faced challenges in finding the right fit. While he may not reach his brother’s level of play, there’s a possibility that he could develop into a solid top-nine NHL player or even a late-blooming star. This move is seen as a valuable gamble, especially since Nylander ended the previous season strongly with Columbus. The Leafs have essentially bought themselves a lottery ticket with this signing.
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