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William Nylander expected in Milan for NHL’s new partnership with Serie A

Originally posted on TheLeafsnation | By Arun Srinivasan | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander will certainly have some cool travel stories heading into training camp.

Nylander is among the 25 players expected in Milan for the NHL/NHLPA European Player Media Tour, and it should be an exciting trip. As part of their content collaboration ahead of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the NHL is partnering with Lega Serie A, with intriguing opportunities for players from both leagues. The new Serie A season begins on August 23, and a group from the NHL and NHLPA will tour Inter Milan’s training facility, before heading to the legendary San Siro stadium for AC Milan’s opener against Cremonese.

Lega Serie A will also take place in the NHL International Broadcaster Summit, where it will offer key insights on how it works with partners across the globe.

Nylander is expected to be joined by Sebastian Aho, Lukas Reichel, Miro Heiskanen, Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond and Nico Hischier.

Sebastian Aho, Miro Heiskanen, Nico Hischier, William Nylander, Lucas Raymond, Lukas Reichel & Moritz Seider will be among the players in attendance when the @NHL, @NHLPA & @SerieA_EN bring their groundbreaking partnership to life in Milan this week.

All 7 players were named to… pic.twitter.com/TOEMct0kJW

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) August 19, 2025

“The NHL is honored to visit Milan alongside our partners at Serie A, continuing to build on the momentum of our strategic collaboration,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a release. “This week’s events give our players and leadership the chance to immerse themselves in one of the world’s great sporting cultures while showcasing hockey and NHL players to new global audiences.

“By engaging directly with Serie A’s passionate fans and iconic clubs, we’re strengthening our global footprint and creating connections that will resonate well beyond the Winter Games.”

Billed as a unique partnership between a North American sports league and a top tier soccer league, it’ll be compelling to see what this partnership amounts to after the brand activations are over. Nylander and company will at least get a visit to the iconic San Siro, during what should be a thrilling weekend in the top flight of Italian soccer, and will gain some familiarity with Milan ahead of the upcoming Olympic games, where the Maple Leafs star is expected to lead Sweden’s offence.

This article first appeared on TheLeafsnation and was syndicated with permission.

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