Alex Nylander

**Alex Nylander** (born Alexander Maximiliam Michael Junior Nylander Altelius on March 2, 1998 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) is a Canadian-born Swedish ice hockey player who currently plays for the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL.

He was selected 8th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

## Playing Career

### Major Junior

Alex was selected 12th overall by the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League at the 2015 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.

On September 5, 2015, he committed to Steelheads with his father, Michael joining as assistant coach. His reasons for joining include being close to his brother William and to have the chance to play the Canadian style of hockey.

In his only season with the Steelheads, Alex led all rookies in scoring, and was awarded both the Emms Family Award as the OHL "Rookie of the Year" and the CHL "Rookie of the Year".

Leading up to the NHL draft, he was ranked the #3 North American skater. He was described as a dynamic offensive player with a great shot and playmaking ability.

### Professional Playing Career

Alex was selected 8th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. On July 15, 2016, the Sabres signed him to a three-year entry-level contract.

On April 3, 2017, he was called up to the NHL for the first time to play in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played 14:28 minutes during the 4–2 loss. After playing four games in the NHL, he was re-assigned back to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.

The Sabres assigned Alex to their AHL affiliate before finalizing their roster for the 2017–18 season. He suffered a lower-body injury in mid-September during the Buffalo Sabres' first prospect game, causing him to miss the rest of the training camp and the beginning of the 2017–18 AHL season. He returned to the lineup on November 17, 2017, for a game against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Despite a slow start, Alex was called up to the NHL on April 3, 2018. He recorded his first career NHL goal on April 6, 2018 in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After the Sabres failed to qualify for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, he was reassigned to the AHL.

On July 9, 2019, Alex was traded by the Sabres to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for fellow first-rounder Henri Jokiharju.

## International Play

Despite being born in Canada and like his brother, Alex represents Sweden in international play.

At the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships held in Helsinki, he led the Swedish team in points with four goals and five assists. Team Sweden finished fourth at the tournament. He was also chosen to represent Sweden at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championships.

Alex led Team Sweden to the silver medal in the 2018 World Junior Championships where he had 1 goal and 6 assists in 7 games. He was also awarded "Player of the Game".

## Personal Life

Alex was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada while his father, Michael played for the Calgary Flames. He spent the majority of his youth in the United States where his father played for a multitude of NHL teams, and spending the summers in Sweden.

His older brother, William currently plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He also has an older sister, Michelle (born in 1994) and three younger sisters: Jacquline (born in 2000), Stephanie (born in 2003) and Daniella (born in 2006).