Maple Leafs send top pick William Nylander back to Sweden
The Toronto Maple Leafs have reassigned eighth overall pick William Nylander to MODO in the Swedish Hockey League. It was believed he'd get a chance to stick with the big club to start the year.
The Toronto Maple Leafs seemed to be flirting with the idea of adding the club’s 2014 first-round pick William Nylander to their opening night roster, but that is no longer the case. The Maple Leafs have reassigned Nylander to MODO, his pro club back in Sweden.
The superskilled youngster had impressed in the preseason, lauded for his speed and offensive sense. As tempting as it would have been to put him on the NHL roster, the Maple Leafs have to be careful with such a valuable asset and it looks like they’re probably making the right call by letting Nylander go back to Sweden. There's usually nothing wrong with a little patience.
During his draft season last year, the 18-year-old son of former NHLer Michael Nylander bounced around the Swedish ranks, even spending time in the second division on separate loans. He only got 22 games in the top division last year with MODO, so there's definitely a challenge waiting for him when he gets home.
Playing against professionals in the Swedish Hockey League while likely playing a much bigger role with MODO than he could with the Maple Leafs should go a long way and possibly get him ready for next season to make his NHL debut.
Nylander was also eligible to be sent to the American Hockey League and play for the Toronto Marlies, but sending him back to Sweden for his first post-draft year keeps him away from some of the pressure and attention he’d receive by playing under the noses of Maple Leafs fan and the Toronto media.
There’s no question that there’s a load of potential in this forward who spent most of his youth living and playing hockey in the United States, making concerns about a transition to North America a lot less prominent.
Additionally, the Maple Leafs won’t burn a year off of Nylander’s entry-level contract before he’s ready. It’s the best situation for all involved, even though it had to be tempting to put him on the roster and give him a crack at the NHL right away.
