Report: Alex Nylander to attend Flames training camp

The Buffalo Sabres originally selected Nylander with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, two years after the Maple Leafs drafted William Nylander at the same slot. Unfortunately, the younger Nylander never developed into a consistent presence with the Sabres, appearing in just 19 NHL games over parts of three seasons with the club before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019.

Nylander was given slightly more opportunity in Chicago, where he scored 10 goals and 26 points in 65 games over his only full NHL season to date, 2019-20. But after injuring his knee during the 2020 bubble playoffs, Nylander missed the entire 2020-21 season and never played in another game with the Blackhawks before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2022.

Over parts of three seasons in the Penguins organization, Nylander established himself as an upper-tier AHL player but only appeared in 14 NHL games with the club. Near the end of the 2023-24 season, the Penguins flipped Nylander to the Columbus Blue Jackets, with whom he finally received consistent playing time and scored 11 goals and 15 points in 23 games; however, the Blue Jackets opted not to re-sign Nylander after the season.

In 126 career NHL games across parts of seven seasons with the Sabres, Blackhawks, Penguins, Blue Jackets, and Maple Leafs, Nylander has collected 25 goals and 49 points. He also skated in eight playoff games with the Blackhawks in 2020.

The Flames are slated to kick off their 2026 pre-season schedule against the Seattle Kraken at the Saddledome on Sept. 20. In accordance with the NHL’s new rules, the Flames can only dress their “veteran players” (read: players with 50+ NHL games in 2025-26) for two of their four exhibition games.