The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Sunday they’ve signed Alex Nylander to a one-year, AHL contract. No financial details have been released at this time.

Nylander split last season between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets. While he struggled early on in 2023-24, recording zero points in five NHL games with the Penguins, the 26-year-old winger finished strong, recording 11 goals and 15 points in his final 23 games in Columbus.

The former 2016 first-round, eighth overall pick of the Buffalo Sabres has had a hard time finding sustainable success so far throughout his young career and is hopeful reuniting with brother William in Toronto could do wonders for his professional career. Alex is two years younger than William and the two are extremely close, and have been training of late, preparing for next season.

In 121 career NHL games, Nylander has registered 25 goals and 24 assists. This includes stops with the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Penguins, Blue Jackets and now he’ll try to impress at Maple Leafs’ training camp in September, hopeful to turn his AHL contract into an NHL deal. While it’s going to be really tough to crack the Maple Leafs’ roster out of training camp, Nylander has a chance to be a weapon offensively for the Marlies and could warrant a call up at some point should an injury occur or Toronto’s offense falters.

According to the Maple Leafs, since 2005, there’s been 82 players who have dressed with the AHL’s Marlies and made their way to the Maple Leafs. This includes the likes of Timothy Liljegren, Bobby McMann, Morgan Rielly, Nick Robertson, Joseph Woll, among others.

Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has been quiet of late, especially when it comes to adding depth up front. Treliving has $1.27 million in cap space to work, meanwhile has restricted free-agent forward Nick Robertson left unsigned. There have been reports that Robertson wants out, so this is certainly a storyline to follow as the offseason continues.