RW Alexander Nylander (2016, 8th, BUF)

[truthbluth]

For one thing it's pretty clear he wasn't as ready for the AHL as his brother or Rantanen. Both had pro experience before their AHL debuts, so that's likely part of it, other than whatever innate to the individual players leads to readiness. On top of that, the team is an utter disgrace, so it's really hard to fairly evaluate Alex. It seems his confidence has been low throughout the season, with the exception of the WJC. It's clear he needs to have a big summer of workouts.

It might be the worst AHL team Rochester has ever seen.

 

[Arizonan God]

His production isn't great, but at the same time he's an 18 year old in a men's league. I could see him really take off nest year when he's a bit stronger and wiser and dominate the A similar to how his brother did. William also had played more pro hockey at the same age as Alex, so Alex might take a bit longer to hit his potential.

I still think he's gunna be a very good dynamic NHL winger.

 

[tsujimoto74]

So only 24 points in 52 games. 7 points in 23 games post-WJC. Certainly not doing as well as his brother or Mikko Rantanen. What's wrong with him?

Rochester is a disaster, and he's an 18-year-old playing against men for the first time. Nothing's wrong with him. He's developing. I think his WJC performance showed us where he's at compared to his peers -- it's just a matter of time until that talent starts shining at the pro level.

 

[AvsCOL]

Rochester is a disaster, and he's an 18-year-old playing against men for the first time. Nothing's wrong with him. He's developing. I think his WJC performance showed us where he's at compared to his peers -- it's just a matter of time until that talent starts shining at the pro level.

San Antonio was a disaster too, and Mikko Rantanen put up 62 points or something.





With that being said, I still think Nylander will develop into a very good player. Bloodlines are certainly there, and you only have to watch him for a few minutes to realize why he went so high. Just takes some guys longer than others, he'll figure it out.

 

[Knies iT]

San Antonio was a disaster too, and Mikko Rantanen put up 62 points or something.





With that being said, I still think Nylander will develop into a very good player. Bloodlines are certainly there, and you only have to watch him for a few minutes to realize why he went so high. Just takes some guys longer than others, he'll figure it out.

The Marlies were also a disaster when William arrived mid-season (basement team). Alex's numbers are disappointing for a player of his pedigree, and if he were as good as he was touted he would make due regardless of the team.

 

[Finnish your Czech]

I wouldn't look too deep into ## of points an 18 year old gets in his first year as a pro in the AHL. Unless if he visibly looks bad (bad attitude, not trying defensively, etc) then it could be an issue (which I doubt it is).

But if he doesn't improve on his numbers over the next season or so it is a cause for concern.

 

[Snippit]

The Marlies were also a disaster when William arrived mid-season (basement team). Alex's numbers are disappointing for a player of his pedigree, and if he were as good as he was touted he would make due regardless of the team.

I don't think he'll be as good as his brother.

But I still think his tools are too good not to make it at the next level. Great hands, great shot and good play-making ability.

Mantha was older than Nylander when he first started in the AHL, and his numbers were nothing special. But he's looking good now. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for more from Alex after his performance at the WJC, but I'm not worried yet.

1+1 in the last game too, including a late game winner. Pretty weird timing for this thread.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

The Marlies were also a disaster when William arrived mid-season (basement team). Alex's numbers are disappointing for a player of his pedigree, and if he were as good as he was touted he would make due regardless of the team.

Marlies were not the same team when William arrived in the 2nd half of the year. They added Froese, Brennan, and Leipsic in trades, also players on the Leafs were sent down like Carrick to bolster the push for playoff experience. You are trying to make a narrative that it was all Nylander when it was Connor Brown and others that made that Marlies team far superior to the Rochester team that Alex is currently playing on. Saying that, I would agree Alex' stats should be better for the talent he is, where he did outscore his brother at the WJC at the same age this year. But Rochester is by no means the same caliber of Marlie's team that William played on.

 

[Knies iT]

Marlies were not the same team when William arrived in the 2nd half of the year. They added Froese, Brennan, and Leipsic in trades, also players on the Leafs were sent down like Carrick to bolster the push for playoff experience. You are trying to make a narrative that it was all Nylander when it was Connor Brown and others that made that Marlies team far superior to the Rochester team that Alex is currently playing on. Saying that, I would agree Alex' stats should be better for the talent he is, where he did outscore his brother at the WJC at the same age this year. But Rochester is by no means the same caliber of Marlie's team that William played on.

Should I repeat what I said? He arrived on a bottom feader, if there's a narrative there you're searching for it. Weren't you the guy who was adamant Alex was the better player?

I don't think he'll be as good as his brother.

But I still think his tools are too good not to make it at the next level. Great hands, great shot and good play-making ability.

Mantha was older than Nylander when he first started in the AHL, and his numbers were nothing special. But he's looking good now. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for more from Alex after his performance at the WJC, but I'm not worried yet.

1+1 in the last game too, including a late game winner. Pretty weird timing for this thread.

Saw the game, he was noticeable. Marlies gifted a couple as per usual lately but he could have had another early on.

His play reminds me of Kapanen last year. Don't doubt he'll be in the NHL.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Should I repeat what I said? He arrived on a bottom feader, if there's a narrative there you're searching for it. Weren't you the guy who was adamant Alex was the better player?

I believe he will be comparable, and perhaps better in time. Alex just turned 19, It's only his first year in the AHL on a very bad team. Plenty of time to see if this will be true.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

I believe he will be comparable, and perhaps better in time. Alex just turned 19, It's only his first year in the AHL on a very bad team. Plenty of time to see if this will be true.

Your bio says "team NHL" but it should actually say team anti-leafs.

Both will be good, a good chance he's a tier below willy and there's no shame in that.

 

[AcerComputer]

So only 24 points in 52 games. 7 points in 23 games post-WJC. Certainly not doing as well as his brother or Mikko Rantanen. What's wrong with him?

You need to keep the points in perspective, relative to the age of the player and the league. A Nylander is doing pretty good IMO for his first year post draft. Probably will be PPG player next year, which is ahead of most other development curves.

 

[VictorLustig]

Labeling Alex as a "tier below William" is a bit premature I think. I saw plenty of things in his game at the WJC that William dis not have at the same age. It takes more time for a tall and lanky guy like Alex to develop the explosiveness that could make all the difference.

 

[93LEAFS]

You need to keep the points in perspective, relative to the age of the player and the league. A Nylander is doing pretty good IMO for his first year post draft. Probably will be PPG player next year, which is ahead of most other development curves.

There really isn't much to compare it against. But, it's below W. Nylander, Puljujarvi, Fiala, Bergfors, Pastrnak, and Filatov. The only forward of substance he has outperformed in the AHL at 18 was Girgensons. I wouldn't say its good, not that he can't become a high-end player. I don't think he's ever had the raw skill his brother has. Going back to last year, I always thought Willy was the more skilled and explosive brother. Both have always had questions about compete, Alex might be sneakier and better finding holes. The big thing is William, had more question marks due to how he was handled in his draft year.

 

[EXTRAS]

It's rough being compared to William. I always felt William was a little underrated around his draft and that Alex was a little overrated. Now people expect them to be similar players, but William was doing things in the SHL and AHL very few people do at the same age...like ever. Alex will probably be a decent top 6 winger, but William is going to be a star. Alex is doing good for what he is.

 

[Raym11]

give him a couple years in the AHL he'll be fine. I'd expect his scoring to double next season when hes adjusted and older

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Marlies were not the same team when William arrived in the 2nd half of the year. They added Froese, Brennan, and Leipsic in trades, also players on the Leafs were sent down like Carrick to bolster the push for playoff experience. You are trying to make a narrative that it was all Nylander when it was Connor Brown and others that made that Marlies team far superior to the Rochester team that Alex is currently playing on. Saying that, I would agree Alex' stats should be better for the talent he is, where he did outscore his brother at the WJC at the same age this year. But Rochester is by no means the same caliber of Marlie's team that William played on.

Carrick was not on the Marlies the year Nylander came in, that was last year.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Carrick was not on the Marlies the year Nylander came in, that was last year.

Nope, he played both years. Sam Carrick played 59 games with the Marlies the year Nylander came in 2014 after he was sent down from the Leafs.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/leaf...k_josh_leivo_and_stuart_percy_to_marlies.html

Saying that Alex Nylander scores the 1st goal in tonight's game vs St. Johns. 9th of the season.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

He just scored in back to back games for the first time as a pro, maybe he's beginning to feel comfortable.

I was hoping he'd look like William did in the AHL but so far he hasn't, I don't see the speed or motor. He was drafted to be a sniper, there's no question the hope is he plays with Eichel. I think he'll be that, maybe it takes 2 years for him but I'm still confident he'll be a rather one dimensional 30 goal scorer.

He looks considerably taller than William, longer legs, he's going to fill out, hopefully puts on 10 pounds of mostly muscle this summer.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

He just scored in back to back games for the first time as a pro, maybe he's beginning to feel comfortable.

I was hoping he'd look like William did in the AHL but so far he hasn't, I don't see the speed or motor. He was drafted to be a sniper, there's no question the hope is he plays with Eichel. I think he'll be that, maybe it takes 2 years for him but I'm still confident he'll be a rather one dimensional 30 goal scorer.

He looks considerably taller than William, longer legs, he's going to fill out, hopefully puts on 10 pounds of mostly muscle this summer.

I watched pretty much the entire game last night, flipping between the Manitoba game. I can see why Nylander's stats are on the low side this season. The talent level on Rochester is pretty bad. There were times they could not even execute a routine pass. When you have a player that has the ability of Nylander I think he will be better when he plays in the pros around similar talent. This would not surprise me. I don't think he stood out last night, but I also don't think he has much to play with down there. It's not an excuse, but it is what I saw. Which is why I made a point to see his game last night. If there were just one player that he could play off of, I think his stats would be far better.

 

[EXTRAS]

I watched pretty much the entire game last night, flipping between the Manitoba game. I can see why Nylander's stats are on the low side this season. The talent level on Rochester is pretty bad. There were times they could not even execute a routine pass. When you have a player that has the ability of Nylander I think he will be better when he plays in the pros around similar talent. This would not surprise me. I don't think he stood out last night, but I also don't think he has much to play with down there. It's not an excuse, but it is what I saw. Which is why I made a point to see his game last night. If there were just one player that he could play off of, I think his stats would be far better.

It's not like no one on the team scores but him. There are 5 players with more points and 7 players with more pts/gm. Including players on pace for twice as many points as Nylander, and going close to point per game.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

William Nylander can hear it in his younger brother’s voice. Alex Nylander is having a frustrating season.

While the elder Nylander is exploding onto the NHL scene with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Alex Nylander is experiencing the expected ups and downs in the American Hockey League.

The Sabres prospect is one of just 20 18-year-olds to play at least 15 games in the AHL since 1990. He entered Rochester’s game in Binghamton on Saturday night with nine goals and 26 points in 58 games.

“I talk to him almost like every day,†William Nylander said Saturday in KeyBank Center. “He's learning. It's a little different league. It takes time to get going. He's been going a little up and down, and hopefully he can finish the season off well.â€

At .45 points per game, Alex Nylander is 10th in production among the AHL’s 20 18-year-olds since 1990. William Nylander is fourth on the list after putting up 14 goals and 32 points in 37 games with Toronto’s farm club in 2014-15.

“It's a learning process,†William Nylander said. “Every player has got to go through that stuff. He's learning. It will be a good year for
him.â€

Both Nylanders are products of Sweden’s junior program, and the country recently lobbied NHL general managers to keep their Swedish prospects at home. Sabres GM Tim Murray is against that, and William Nylander’s experience shows why.

The rookie entered Saturday’s game against the Sabres with 21 goals and 56 points in 72 games with the Maple Leafs.

"The AHL was good for me,†he said. “You got to play against men. Especially coming from Sweden on a smaller rink, it helped out for me.â€

http://buffalonews.com/2017/03/25/s...rustration-lehner-expects-hard-working-finish

 

[1972]

There's no denying he looks awful in Rochester from the couple games I've seen, but I think being on such a terrible team isn't helping the cause either. Next year is going to be a big year for him, he needs to get stronger and more involved. The talent level is off the charts.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

Debuting against his brother tomorrow would be a nice cookie in an otherwise frustrating season for him.

 

[Neutral Hockey Fan]

Debuting against his brother tomorrow would be a nice cookie in an otherwise frustrating season for him.

Rewarding a guy for being terrible all year in the minors? I don't get it

Tell him to go home, get better and dominate the AHL like his brother did and then maybe he will get his shot at the NHL roster