William Nylander Bio
William Andrew Michael Junior Nylander Altelius, known as William Nylander, is a Swedish professional ice hockey player born on 1 May 1996 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He plays as a forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) and is widely recognized for his offensive creativity, skating, and speed. Nicknamed “Willy Styles,” he has developed into one of the most consistent point producers on the Maple Leafs roster.
Selected eighth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Nylander represents Sweden in international competition. He captured a gold medal and was named the most valuable player at the 2017 IIHF World Championship, cementing his place among the premier Swedish players of his generation.
Early Life and Background
William Nylander was born in Calgary while his father, Michael Nylander, was playing for the Calgary Flames. Because of his father’s long NHL career, Nylander spent much of his youth in the United States, attending school in several cities while returning to Sweden during the summers. The family later moved permanently to Sweden when he was fourteen, allowing him to develop within the Swedish hockey system.
He is a dual citizen of Sweden and Canada, a status later confirmed by the International Ice Hockey Federation in November 2012 when it ruled him eligible to represent Sweden in international play. Nylander has six siblings, including younger brother Alexander Nylander, who was drafted eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2016 and later joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as well.
Path to Hockey
As a youth, Nylander played in the 2009 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a New York Rangers minor hockey team, an early sign of his development within professional circles. On 14 February 2013, he made his HockeyAllsvenskan debut with Södertälje SK, appearing alongside his father Michael and recording an assist in his first professional game.
Nylander closed out the 2013–14 season with a 22-game stint in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), playing as many as twenty minutes per night. Ranked among the top prospects for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, he was selected eighth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Although praised for his puck skills and offensive ability, scouts also noted his smaller frame, measuring five feet nine inches and 169 pounds at the draft combine.
William Nylander Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
After being drafted, Nylander signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs on 18 August 2014. He began the 2014–15 season with MoDo Hockey of the SHL, producing eight goals and twelve assists in twenty-one games before being reassigned to the Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate, in January 2015. He finished the AHL campaign with thirty-two points in thirty-seven games and helped the Marlies reach the Calder Cup playoffs.
Nylander made his NHL debut on 29 February 2016 against the Tampa Bay Lightning at age nineteen. He scored his first NHL goal on 5 March 2016 against Andrew Hammond of the Ottawa Senators, with the assist coming from Brooks Laich, who had also assisted his father Michael on his final NHL goal.
NHL Rookie and Sophomore Seasons (2016–2018)
Nylander made the Maple Leafs roster full-time for the 2016–17 season, debuting on 12 October 2016 alongside Zach Hyman and Auston Matthews. He assisted on two of Matthews’ four goals in a record-setting rookie debut and was named NHL Rookie of the Month for October after recording eleven points in nine games. He scored his first NHL hat-trick on 4 February 2017 against the Boston Bruins and finished the year with sixty-one points, helping Toronto reach the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs.
In 2017–18, Nylander again played on the top line with Matthews and Hyman. He ended the regular season with another sixty-one points, and the Maple Leafs returned to the playoffs, only to be eliminated in seven games by the Boston Bruins. He recorded one goal and three assists during that first-round series.
Contract Standoff and Bounce-Back Year (2018–2020)
Nylander became a restricted free agent following the 2017–18 season and remained unsigned through training camp, seeking a long-term deal rather than a bridge contract. Just minutes before the 1 December 2018 deadline, he agreed to a six-year, $45 million contract. After a slow start, he finished 2018–19 with twenty-seven points in fifty-four games.
Ahead of 2019–20, Nylander changed his jersey number from 29 to 88, a tribute to his original number in Sweden and his admiration for Patrick Kane. Following the Maple Leafs’ decision to replace head coach Mike Babcock with Sheldon Keefe, Nylander’s production surged, and he had already set a career-high thirty-one goals in sixty-eight games when the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Elite Forward Era (2020–2024)
During the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season, Nylander posted forty-two points in fifty-one games and led the Maple Leafs in goals and points during the playoffs, including a four-game goal streak against the Montreal Canadiens. Over the next three seasons, he set new career highs each year, recording his first eighty-point season in 2021–22 and his first forty-goal campaign the following year with eighty-seven points.
The 2023–24 season was particularly memorable. Nylander opened with a seventeen-game point streak, a new franchise record to start a season, and played two games in the 2023 NHL Global Series in Stockholm, scoring the overtime winner against the Minnesota Wild. On 8 January 2024, he signed an eight-year, $92 million contract extension, the largest in Maple Leafs history by total value. He was later voted to his first NHL All-Star Game and finished the year with forty goals, fifty-eight assists, and ninety-eight points. Although Toronto was eliminated by the Boston Bruins in the first round, Nylander scored both goals in Game 6 and the opening goal of Game 7.
Toronto Maple Leafs Era (2024–Present)
In 2024–25, Nylander set a new career high with forty-five goals, finishing second in the NHL, along with eighty-four points. On 4 February 2025, he recorded his second career hat-trick against the Calgary Flames, exactly eight years to the day after his first hat-trick against the Boston Bruins. He led the Maple Leafs in playoff goals and points once again, though Toronto was eliminated in the second round by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. That summer, he received the Guldpucken as Sweden’s top ice hockey player for the first time.
During the 2025–26 season, Nylander became the Maple Leafs’ all-time franchise leader in overtime goals, scoring his fifteenth on 26 November 2025 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He surpassed former Leafs captain Mats Sundin and teammate Auston Matthews on the franchise’s all-time overtime list.
Driving Style and Strengths
Nylander is celebrated for his elite skating, smooth puck handling, and creative playmaking. His ability to generate offense at even strength and on the power play has made him a fixture on the Maple Leafs’ top six. Throughout his career, he has shown a particular flair for clutch moments, including overtime winners and high-stakes playoff goals.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature achievements, Nylander was named MVP of the 2017 IIHF World Championship after leading the tournament in scoring with fourteen points in ten games. He also scored the game-winning overtime goal during the 2023 NHL Global Series in Stockholm, the city where he spent much of his teenage years. In 2024, his eight-year, $92 million contract set a new benchmark for total value in Maple Leafs history.
William Nylander Career Wins
William Nylander has built a strong résumé across professional and international play, highlighted by an IIHF World Championship gold medal, multiple SHL and AHL seasons, and a growing list of NHL milestones. His production has steadily increased year over year since his NHL debut.
NHL Highlights
Nylander has recorded multiple forty-goal seasons, including forty-five goals in 2024–25, the second-highest total in the league that year. He has surpassed the eighty-point mark in three consecutive seasons, peaking with ninety-eight points in 2023–24. In November 2025, he set the franchise record for career overtime goals with his fifteenth.
International Highlights
Nylander captured gold with Sweden at the 2013 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where he led the tournament in assists. In 2014, he won the scoring title at the World U18 Championships with sixteen points in seven games. His greatest international triumph came at the 2017 IIHF World Championship, where he led Sweden in scoring and was named tournament MVP.
William Nylander Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
William Nylander comes from one of hockey’s most recognizable families. His father, Michael Nylander, enjoyed a long NHL career with several teams, including the Calgary Flames, and was inducted into the Swedish Hockey Hall of Fame. His younger brother, Alexander Nylander, was drafted eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2016 and later joined the Maple Leafs, joining William on the Toronto roster. On 24 November 2024, William and Alexander became the fifth set of brothers to play together in Toronto Maple Leafs history.
Personal Life
Nylander is a dual citizen of Sweden and Canada. He has spent much of his adult life in Toronto, the city he has called home since joining the Maple Leafs organization. In the 2025 off-season, he announced the launch of his own YouTube channel, expanding his presence beyond the ice.
2025 Season Performance
William Nylander entered the 2025–26 season as one of the cornerstones of the Toronto Maple Leafs, fresh off signing the largest contract in franchise history. Building on his career-best forty-five-goal campaign in 2024–25, he has continued to play a central role in the team’s offensive core. His experience in high-pressure situations, including the 2024 NHL All-Star Game and the 4-Nations Face-Off, has reinforced his status as a leader within the lineup.
Through the early months of the season, Nylander has produced at a strong pace, highlighted by his record-setting fifteenth career overtime goal with the Maple Leafs on 26 November 2025. That milestone underscored his reputation for delivering in decisive moments. He has also been confirmed as one of the first six players named to Team Sweden’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics, signaling his continued importance on the international stage.
Looking ahead, Nylander remains under contract with Toronto through 2032, giving the Maple Leafs long-term stability at the forward position. With his blend of speed, creativity, and finishing ability, he is expected to remain central to the team’s push for playoff success and another run at the Stanley Cup.