Alex Nylander believes he will be back in the NHL sooner rather than later.聽William Nylander believes that, too.
鈥淗e has the ability and skill and talent to be at this level,鈥 the Maple Leafs forward said of his younger brother, who is currently with the Marlies. 鈥淗e just needs the opportunity for it to happen. And I believe that it will happen.鈥
It’s more than brotherly love that has William Nylander rooting for Alex. There’s hard evidence for it. While William leads the Leafs with 10 goals in 14 games. Alex has five in eight games and is tied with Alex Steeves for the most on the Marlies.
鈥(Alex has) had a great start,鈥 Marlies coach John Gruden said. 鈥淗e’s been opportunistic. I thought his five-on-five play was much better last game. I thought he was more dangerous with his habits as far as stopping and starting, in being available and shooting the puck and then doing what he does.
鈥淗e’s dangerous when he has the puck in certain areas.鈥
Gruden sounds a lot like Craig Berube talking about William Nylander after he had a goal and an assist in the Leafs’ 4-0 win over Boston on Tuesday.
鈥淗e’s being Willie. Scores goals,鈥 Berube said. 鈥淚 mean, he’s a dynamic player. He’s one of those offensive guys that the puck goes to him. He knows where the puck’s going. Got a great shot. His skill level is off the charts. But he’s playing a good game all around. He’s not just thinking about offence. He’s been very good defensively and being in the right spots and doing the right things defensively.鈥
While there are similarities between the skilled brothers聽鈥 William was selected eighth overall by the Leafs in the 2014 draft, Alex went eighth to the Sabres two year later聽鈥 the road to regular playing team in the NHL has been a grind for the 26-year-old Alex. He has been on four NHL teams (Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Columbus)聽and four minor-league teams, playing聽only one full season in the NHL聽(2019-20 with the Blackhawks).
It looked like he had a long-awaited breakthrough after a trade to Columbus last season, when he had a career-high 11 goals in just 23 games. So it was a bit of a surprise when Alex chose to sign an AHL contract with the Marlies after the Blue Jackets failed make him a qualifying offer that would have retained his rights.
He wanted to live with his brother, get a bit grounded, and use the coaching and skills tools that are available within the Leafs organization to help take his game to the next level.
鈥淚 want to be the best player I can be,鈥 Alex Nylander said. 鈥淚 saw that last year in Columbus. I know I can play at that level. So obviously the goal is to get back (to the NHL) this year, not next year, and keep working hard every day.鈥
The road back can be a bit of a slog even for an NHL-calibre player on an AHL contract. He is officially a free agent and could sign with any NHL team, but recent history suggests that won’t happen. Former Marlies聽Josh Ho-Sang, Kieffer Bellows, Kerby Rychel followed similar paths to hockey oblivion.
All were first-round picks who failed to live up to their draft status. Ho-Sang played with the Marlies three years ago, had a brief stop in the KHL the next season and joined the ECHL’s Florida Everblades earlier this year.聽Bellows, with the Marlies last season, is with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals on a two-way deal with Nashville. Rychel, who was with the Marlies from 2016 to 2018, last played in the 2019-20 season.聽
Still, Alex Nylander seems to have developed an unshakable confidence in himself, and his goal-scoring prowess early this season is a reason why.
鈥淚’ve been getting better, better than when I was playing in training camp,鈥 he said. 鈥淎nd I have my confidence on the ice, having the puck on my stick. I’m shooting more, that’s part of my game. So when I’ve got that, my confidence goes up.鈥
It has helped that Alex is living in his brother’s home. They’re able to talk, watch each other’s games, support each other.
鈥淲e talk every day, or hang out,鈥 the older brother said.
鈥淚t’s awesome,鈥 Alex said. 鈥淚’ve watched almost every single one of his games and he’s seen a lot of mine. So we see how each other’s game is, where we got better, what we did good. We keep each other happy. We’re doing good. Just got to keep going.鈥
Though it would seem ripe for it, there is no competition among the brothers about who can score the most goals.
鈥淭here isn’t, but it’s kind of funny,鈥 Alex said. 鈥淲e just want to try to play as best we can. It’s just fun that it’s happening and he’s doing really well in scoring goals.鈥
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