"Nepo baby" "Must love being near his bro": NHL fans react as Toronto Marlies sign William Nylander's brother Alex to 1-year contract

William Nylander's brother, Alex Nylander, has signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Marlies. He played just five games for the team last season and did not play once in the playoffs. The Leafs lost in the second round to the Florida Panthers, continuing their misfortune of early playoff exits.

His performance was pale compared to his brother William Nylander, who scored 45 goals and 39 assists. His brother also led the team in points during the 2025 playoffs, with 15 points. It was 4 points more than Leafs captain Auston Matthews.

The Toronto Marlies announced the signing on their X account:

“We’ve signed forwards Brandon Baddock, Luke Grainger and Alex Nylander.”

Following this announcement, fans started questioning the reason behind signing Alex. One fan called him a “Nepo baby.”

“Wow, Alex is sticking around. Must love being near his bro,” another fan wrote. "Must be sick being Alex Nylander. Getting multiple jobs in a major city cause your brother is better than you," a fan said.

Some fans were surprised that Alex is staying in Toronto. Others believe the family connection helped:

"I thought they had Will and Alex for 7 more years? 😂" a fan said. "Surprised Alex resigned. Figured he would have had offers on an NHL team somewhere," another fan said. "Alex should be up sometimes . I don’t know why he was t last year," a fan mentioned.

Alex Nylander is 27 years old, two years younger than his brother William Nylander. Now his deal is expected to help the Marlies with scoring and depth.

William Nylander called it "special" to be named Sweden’s best hockey player

William Nylander said it felt special to win the Guldpucken award for Sweden’s best hockey player. He told Expressen it’s a goal he always had in mind.

“It’s a very special feeling (to win Guldpucken)," Nylander said, via Ottawa Sun. “It’s perhaps a goal you’ve always had in the back of your mind, to try to be Sweden’s best player."

This is Nylander’s first time winning the award. His father, Michael Nylander, informed him by text about the award, which is given by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association. Nylander was drafted eighth overall by Toronto in 2014, and over the last three NHL seasons, he has scored 40 or more goals in each.

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Edited by John Maxwell