William Nylander Cherishes “Special” Moment Playing with Brother Alex in Maple Leafs Victory
It was a night to remember for William Nylander as the Toronto Maple Leafs took on the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday. The Swedish winger shared the ice with his younger brother, Alex Nylander, marking their first game together as teammates in the NHL—a moment William described as “special.”
The opportunity came after the Maple Leafs signed Alex to a one-year contract earlier in the week. The duo became the fifth set of brothers to suit up as teammates for the Toronto-based franchise. Adding to the significance of the occasion, their father, Michael Nylander—a 15-year NHL veteran with 679 career points—watched proudly from the stands as his sons skated side by side.
William made the night even more memorable by scoring in the second period, stealing the puck and racing up the ice to net a goal that extended Toronto’s lead to 3-1. Alex was right behind him, celebrating the milestone moment. The Maple Leafs ultimately secured a 3-2 victory.
Reflecting on the game, William said:
“The entire day was special, seeing him out there. The first period felt pretty crazy, but then we settled in, and it felt more normal. It was very special, and of course, we got the win, which was nice.”
Mitch Marner on Nylander Brothers: “You Kind of Get Lost”
Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner also weighed in on the Nylander brothers, sharing his thoughts in the post-game conference. Marner humorously noted how similar Alex and William are, joking about getting confused by their identical style.
“You see it from how they dress on the ice—you kind of get lost, thinking, ‘Who’s who?’ Both have a lot of swagger and confidence. That’s what you love to see, and they play with it as well,” said Marner.
Marner, who scored twice in the game, has been instrumental in leading Toronto’s offense during Auston Matthews’ absence. His two-goal performance brought his season tally to 28 points (8 goals, 20 assists).
The Maple Leafs’ win over Utah marked their fourth consecutive victory. They’ll look to extend their streak to five games when they face the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.
