Flames To Sign Alex Nylander To Professional Tryout

Alexander Nylander is set to head west.

According to Puckpedia, the Flames are set to bring him into the organization on a professional tryout agreement.

The former 8th-overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft will now join his sixth NHL franchise since entering the league with the Sabres’ affiliate, the Rochester Americans. At age 28, Nylander finished his 2025-26 season on another one-year contract with the Toronto Marlies, the AHL affiliate of the Maple Leafs.

He followed up last season’s 44 points with 24 goals for 53 points in the AHL, beating his previous career-high of 50 points, back from his Penguins days in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2022-23. This past year ended with 6 goals for 7 points in 24 playoff games en route to winning his first award in North American hockey, the Calder Cup, easily making this the best of Nylander’s pro career.

Nylander has found comfort playing in the AHL for the last eight seasons. In 459 games, he’s scored 307 points, placing him within the Top-30 among active players with the most AHL points since 2016. Contrary to his stellar minor league performances, his best NHL season was back during the 2019-20 campaign, where, after Buffalo swapped him for Henri Jokiharju, he scored 26 points in 65 games for the Hawks.

The Swede hasn’t seen an NHL stretch since 2024, when the Leafs gave him a five-game recall period that ended on Dec. 12 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Compared to his situation in Toronto, their reload to compete in the Atlantic Division makes it difficult for him to compete for a bottom-line role. Perhaps with the Flames, if the Champion earns himself a stay in Calgary, maybe he can make a push for some NHL time, especially given the uncertainty of their forward group as a whole.