Getty William Nylander of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
After the start-of-July spree ended with most top-level free agents who entered the off-season without a contract already signed to new deals, the Toronto Maple Leafs will need to dig deep to finalize their roster.
One possible addition to the Leafs’ bottom six is a familiar (at least for one of the organization’s players) face: former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Alexander Nylander, brother of William.
William and his brother have been training together during the 2024 offseason getting ready for the upcoming campaign. The Maple Leafs forward posted a story on Instagram (h/t @Leafslatest for sharing the pictures on X) showing them together in the gym.
📸: William Nylander back in the gym alongside his brother Alex! Via IG: 💪💙
The Hockey News’ Nick Barden reported the same iG story sharing another picture uploaded by William in which Alex is shown doing squats in the gym, presumably the same day.
William Nylander and his brother, Alex, who’s a UFA, have been seen preparing for the 2024-25 season.
Do you think the #Leafs should sign Alex Nylander to a cheap deal after he scored 11 goals in 23 games with Columbus last year?
“lil bro is a BEAST,” William Nylander wrote while tagging his brother in the IG story.
The younger Nylander, Alex, just finished the one-year, $775,000 million contract he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023. The Blue Jackets acquired Nylander from the Penguins on February 23 and he finished the season in Ohio.
Alexander, who turned 26 in March, scored 11 goals and assisted 4 in 23 games with the Blue Jackets in 2024 after not scoring a single point in Pittsburgh.
With Alex out of contract, some fans took William’s post as a subtle indication handed to Toronto so they approach the free agent or give him a tryout ahead of the 2024-25 season, sparking speculation about a potential signing.
Analyst Dubs Alex Nylander a ‘Hidden Gem’
Hockey analyst Josh Wegman of The Score, in a post published on July 5, believed “there are still a handful of potential hidden gems available” in the free-agent market. One of those “hidden gems” is Blue Jackets Alexander Nylander.
Also from yesterday, I took a look at the most intriguing remaining UFAs and picked the best fit for each of them. All the big names are gone, but there’s still some potential hidden gems who could outperform their contracts. t.co/fjy4hES6E4
“It was mildly surprising that the Columbus Blue Jackets chose not to tender an $814,000 qualifying offer to retain Nylander’s services with the way he caught fire down the stretch of the 2023–24 campaign,” Wegman wrote. “Nylander will likely only garner a one-year deal for under $1 million. That’s great news for the Maple Leafs, who are nearly capped out but could use further competition for a middle-six winger spot. The potential to play on a line with his brother, William, is intriguing for all parties involved.”
When Wegman published his column, the Maple Leafs’s cap space was nearly nonexistent at a tiny $180,333. Between then and now, however, the space has grown to a sizable $1.2 million according to PuckPedia.
Unless Alex Nylander demands an unreasonable amount of money, the Maple Leafs should have enough room to land him if they wish.
As pointed out in the introduction, Nylander could see a bump up in his AAV from his most recent salary of $775,000 and still fit in Toronto’s cap.
The Buffalo Sabres drafted Nylander with the No. 8 pick in the 2016 NHL draft but he never reached his potential in Buffalo and has never found a proper place to settle in.
Nylander has played for the Sabers, the Blackhawks, the Penguins, and lastly the Blue Jackets throughout his career. He might establish himself as a nice depth forward in Toronto playing in the same team as his brother.
William Nylander’s Active Off-Season European Tour
The Maple Leafs might have not won the Stanley Cup but that has not seemingly upset Nylander enough to prevent him from enjoying a nice offseason.
Nylander posted a series of photos and videos on his Instagram account on Sunday, July 21. The 28-year-old flew to London, England, and attended Wimbledon.
Nylander’s post featured photos of him and a friend at Wimbledon’s center court, exploring London’s streets, riding the Tube, standing outside a bar during the Euro final between Spain and England, and enjoying some fish and chips.
The forward had a standout year with the Maple Leafs, scoring 98 total points split into 40 goals and 58 assists appearing in all 82 regular-season games. During the first round of the playoffs, Nylander added 3 goals in four games missing the other three with migraine symptoms.
On January 8, Nylander signed an eight-year, $92 million contract with Toronto, with an annual average value of $11.5 million. This deal makes him the second-highest-paid player on the team, only behind Auston Matthews.