William and Alex Nylander: Will they be a distraction or a boon for one another?
Photo credit: Sportskeeda
With the addition of Alex Nylander to the Marlies, there are some in Toronto who are wondering how his presence will impact William Nylander's performance with the Maple Leafs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Alex Nylander, brother of current Leafs star William Nylander, to an AHL contract earlier today. Initially there was a lot of excitement over the thought of the Nylander brothers being reunited, but that excitement has also led to some speculation from others who wonder if Alex might be a bit of a distraction for William this season, wondering whether or not having his brother in town may hinder his progress, taking his focus off of his own game and doing whatever he can to help Alex.
The truth of the matter is that, just as some are concerned that Alex Nylander's arrival could impact Willy negatively, you could make an equally convincing argument to the contrary, supporting the idea that Alex's presence in Toronto could actually help William as well.
Sibling rivalry can be a powerful motivator. Athletes are huge competitors in general, but nobody can push you like your brother can. I don't seem to be the only person who thinks this way. Take a look at the tweets made by @InsideLeafs and @mccarty89 on X.
The Alex Nylander signing is truly a smart gamble for the Maple Leafs organization. Not only do the Leafs get a former 1st round pick who is coming off his best season to date, they got him on a bargain contract that will allow him to avoid having to clear waivers, since it's an AHL contract and not an NHL contract. If Alex can show some growth and improve his 200-foot game, there's no reason why he can't turn his AHL deal into an NHL deal this season, especially with his brother there to help motivate him.
Alex Nylander has had a rough start to his NHL career so far, but the 26-year-old finally came into his own last season after he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nylander set a career high in goals (11), in only 23 GP with the Blue Jackets last season.
Will he pan out in Toronto? That would truly be something, but I think at this point, most are content to just wait and see.
Source for Alex Nylander stats: HockeyDB
Alex Nylander Statistics
Alex Nylander Statistics
Source for William Nylander stats: HockeyDBWilliam Nylander Statistics
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 28 | 1545 ANSWERS William and Alex Nylander: Will they be a distraction or a boon for one another? What's the most likely outcome for Alex and William Nylander this season? | ||
| It works out and Alex Nylander signs an NHL deal | 632 | 40.9 % |
| It doesn't work out and Alex signs elsewhere | 198 | 12.8 % |
| William's play declines with the added distraction | 158 | 10.2 % |
| Willy plays better than ever with Alex in town | 557 | 36.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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