William Nylander pushing to get his brother signed?

William Nylander had an outstanding year with the Maple Leafs last season as he amassed a career high 98 points in 82 GP last season. The other Nylander brother, Alex Nylander, had a breakout second half himself, nabbing 11 goals in 23 GP for the Columbus Blue Jackets after he was dealt by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Unfortunately, Alex remains unsigned by an NHL club with training camps coming up in less than 2 months time. It seems as though big brother William wants to help his younger brother receive some extra looks as teams continue to peruse the market this summer.

Willy posted an Instagram story of the two working out together in Sweden.

The reason the Blue Jackets failed to re-sign Alex Nylander is a mystery to me. The immediate chemistry that Nylander showed with Johnny Gaudreau in Columbus was very evident. It makes you think that if Alex had an opportunity to play with more skilled players during his NHL tenure, that he may have ended up becoming a better point producer.

At one point, during his draft year, Alex was actually viewed by some as as the better of the 2 Nylander brothers. Obviously, that is not the case anymore. However, a potential Nylander brothers line on the Maple Leafs may help Alex unlock his full potential as the chemistry would be instantaneous.

If Alex is open to signing a short-term deal close to the league minimum with the Maple Leafs and perhaps beginning in the American Hockey League, the potential is certainly there to get a deal done. Very little risk, high potential reward.

The Source: HockeyDB
Alex Nylander Statistics