Who is William Nylander's brother? All we know about Toronto Marlies star Alex

William Nylander's younger brother, Alex Nylander, has signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Marlies — the Maple Leafs' AHL team.

Alex Nylander is a Canadian-Swedish hockey forward born in Calgary while his father played for the Flames, and has dual citizenship. He grew up in the U.S. and Sweden before settling in the European country at age 14.

Buffalo drafted Alex eighth overall in 2014 and joined the Sabres in April 2017 but was reassigned to the AHL’s Rochester Americans. He scored his first NHL goal just three days after receiving a call-up back in April 2018.

After his stint in Buffalo, Alex was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2019. He had a good 2019–20 season but missed the following campaign due to a knee injury. He returned in August 2021 and was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in January 2022. This past February, Alex was traded again, this time to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Now that he has signed with the Marlies, should he get a call-up to the NHL and sign a deal with the Leafs, he could have the chance to play alongside his brother.

William Nylander and Alex Nylander's diffrent trajectories in the NHL

William has had a successful career with the Leafs, spending the last nine seasons with the team. Last season, he scored 40 goals and signed an eight-year, $92 million contract in January.

“This has been home for me, this is the longest I’ve spent in one place in my entire life,” Nylander said (via NHL,com on January 08, 2024). “It was funny the other day. I was talking to a friend, and I said, ‘and then we go home’ and I was referring to Toronto. Without even thinking about it, this is home.”

Alex has struggled, playing for multiple teams and only appearing in 121 NHL games. Last season, he showed promise with the Blue Jackets, recording 15 points in 23 games.

The Nylander brothers have faced each other in the NHL, most recently when Alex was with the Penguins. Alex hopes to impress with the Marlies and possibly earn another chance in the NHL.