Alex Nylander's eyes remain on the NHL as success with Marlies continues

As part of our Maple Leafs coverage at the Toronto Sun, we’re keeping tabs on the club’s prospects, checking in on a weekly basis with the Leafs’ hopefuls across the hockey landscape.

Today, we talk to forward Alex Nylander and defenceman Noah Chadwick of the Toronto Marlies.

NYLANDER’S NHL MINDSET

Nylander hasn’t lost sight of his primary hockey goal.

After signing an American Hockey League contract with the Marlies in August, the 27-year-old forward yearns to play again in the National Hockey League, preferably with the Leafs and older brother William.

“When you’re playing with an AHL contract, anybody can sign you, but I want to play (for the Leafs),” Alex Nylander said. “I want to prove to them that I can play up there and deserve (an NHL) contract by playing well.

“I think it’s a big opportunity for me here too, to show them. My mindset stays the same, to get to the NHL, and I know I can play there.”

If Nylander’s hope becomes reality, it would follow what happened last year. He signed an AHL deal with the Marlies in the summer of 2024, but when the Leafs were hit with several injuries to forwards last November, Nylander signed a one-year contract with the club and skated in five games, recording no points.

In 126 career NHL games with Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Columbus and Toronto, Nylander has 25 goals and 245 assists.

In 22 games with the Marlies in 2025-26, Nylander is tied for third in team scoring with 16 points (seven goals and nine assists).

“I think I’ve been playing really good, really consistent, which has been one thing I’ve been trying to work on,” Nylander said. “I’ve had a lot of good games this year.

“I had a little stretch where I was having a tough time finding the back of the net, but I was still playing really well and getting the chances. I’m feeling really good.”

Nylander has five points in his past five games as the Marlies head into a weekend home-and-home set against the Belleville Senators, who fired their head coach on Wednesday.

No matter where he is playing in Toronto, Nylander has the bonus of talking shop with William. The two share a residence in the city and the conversation usually turns to hockey.

“It’s a lot of fun when he’s home and I’m home, and we can talk to each other and watch each other’s games, and we try to help each other out to be as best as we can,” Alex said. “We love talking hockey. He knows what my goals are. There’s even more of a boost to play better and harder, because you want to play with each other.”

CHADWICK TAKING STEPS

What the Marlies — and by extension the Leafs — had hoped would unfold with Chadwick, a 20-year-old rookie defenceman, is bearing some developmental fruit.

Chadwick has played in all but one of the Marlies’ first 26 games and has done well in finding his way in the pro game following a productive junior career with Lethbridge of the Western Hockey League.

When we talked to Chadwick at the end of October, he was getting his feet wet. It’s different some six weeks later.

“He’s getting thrown in the fire a little bit,” Marlies coach John Gruden said. “He’s getting great experience. He’s playing in all situations. He has had to expand his role and he has played extremely well. He is taking advantage of it.”

Injuries on the blue line — for both the Leafs and the Marlies — have opened spots. Still, if Gruden and his staff didn’t think Chadwick was capable of learning on the job, he wouldn’t be getting increased ice time.

If a player is going to properly grow, he has to be allowed to move on from mistakes. That’s what is happening with Chadwick.

“He made a turnover that led to a goal (against Cleveland on Sunday),” Gruden said. “But the 15 minutes he played after that were probably the 15 best minutes I’ve seen him play all season.

“That says a lot about where his mind is, and his ability to recover from those mistakes. Mistakes are going to happen. He understood it and he played extremely well after that.”

As such, Chadwick’s confidence continues to solidify. There’s good communication and he’s not left wondering what he has to do next.

“It’s not yesterday’s game, it’s today’s habits,” Chadwick said. “That’s the mentality. Come back to the rink and be a student and put the work in every day.

“I’m grateful for (getting the game action that he is). At the same token, I’m trying to continue to build trust with (Gruden and the staff).”

What does Chadwick like about his game right now?

“I’m moving pucks efficiently and doing a good job on breakouts,” Chadwick said. “How can I make (transition) quick and clean?

“Defending well against bigger guys who are a little bit more intelligent with using their body has been a big change. They know how to protect the puck better.

“It’s about being a little more calculated on the defensive side. I’ve had to shift my mindset a little bit differently about defending, being less about rushing out at a guy and trying to physically dominate.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

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