gold star for USAHOF

48. William Nylander

48. William Nylander

From Sweden, William Nylander was the 8th Overall Pick in the 2014 Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs and it did not take long for him to be a top forward for the club.

After he was drafted, Nylander spent the next two years switching from the Swedish League and the AHL, and he made his NHL debut in February of 2016, finishing with 13 Points in 21 Games, proving that he belonged permanently on the main roster.  Nylander scored 61 Points in each of the next two years, but a pay dispute led to a late start in 2018/19, and he was off all year, producing only 27 Points in 54 Games leading to concern among the fan base.   They needn’t have worried.

Nylander bounced back with his first 30-plus year (31) in 2019/20, and in 2021/22, broke out with his first 80 Point campaign.   The Swedish Center had his best year to date last season with career-highs in Goals (40), Assists (47) and Points (87), and is in his peak going into 2023/24.

This is a potential All-Star that Toronto has on their hands.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Center
  • Acquired: Selected in the 1st Round, 8th Overall in the Amateur Draft 6/27/14.
  • Games Played: 521
  • Notable Statistics:

    177 Goals
    253 Assists
    430 Points
    134 PIM
    0.83 PPG
    +23 Plus/Minus
    46.1 Point Shares
    50 Playoff Games

    17 Goals
    23 Assists
    40 Points
    14 PIM
    .80 PPG
    -1 Plus/Minus

  • Major Accolades and Awards: None

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