Nylander is expected to help boost Sweden's offense at the four-team tournament.
Team Sweden was the penultimate team to hit the ice for the first 4 Nations Face-Off practice sessions in Montreal on Monday.
When they hit the ice, Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander found himself in his favorite position, the left wing, alongside New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad and Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rickard Rakell.
"I think you already felt chemistry right off the bat in practice, so that was nice," Nylander said following the session about his linemates."
Nylander is the only Maple Leafs forward on team Sweden, joining teammates Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Nylander's teammates weren't very surprised about what it was like to skate with the Leafs star.
"I'm not really surprised how good he is, but it's just in terms of his, I think, just the puck-handling. And the way he sees the ice, obviously his all-around game, really," Zibanejad told reporters of Nylander. "The way he's been for the past couple of years has been awesome to see. Maybe not as much fun to play against, but I get a chance to play with him now, so I'm excited."
Nylander's Swedish team kicks off the round-robin portion of the tournament against Marner's Canadian squad on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
The 4 Nations Face-Off, a best-on-best tournament featuring NHL players representing Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States, will take place from February 12-20, 2025, in Montreal and Boston. This marks Nylander's first appearance in a best-on-best tournament since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, providing him with another opportunity to showcase his skills against the world's elite players.
Nylander's History Representing Sweden
Nylander's journey with the Swedish national team began during his junior years, where he first displayed his exceptional talent and potential on the world stage.
Junior Career
- 2013 World U-17 Hockey Challenge: Nylander led the tournament in assists with 8, playing a crucial role in Sweden's gold medal victory. This early success signaled his potential as a playmaker on the international stage.
- 2014 IIHF World U18 Championships: Nylander dominated the tournament, leading all scorers with an impressive 16 points in 7 games. This performance solidified his status as a top prospect for the upcoming NHL draft.
- 2015 World Junior Championships: Nylander continued to shine, finishing fifth in tournament scoring, the highest among players not on the Canadian team.
- 2016 World Junior Championships: Unfortunately, a concussion sustained in the first game cut short his tournament. Despite this setback, Nylander's junior career with Sweden demonstrated his offensive capabilities and set the stage for his future success.
Senior Career
- 2017 IIHF World Championship: Nylander made his World Championship debut in spectacular fashion, leading Sweden to a gold medal and earning the tournament MVP award. He led his team in scoring with 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists) in 10 games.
- 2019 IIHF World Championship: Nylander once again demonstrated his offensive prowess, leading the tournament in scoring with 18 points (5 goals, 13 assists) in 8 games. However, Sweden was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Finland. This marked the second consecutive World Championship where Nylander led the tournament in scoring, highlighting his consistency and dominance at the international level.
- 2022 IIHF World Championship: Nylander contributed 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) in 3 games, but Sweden fell to Canada in the quarterfinals.
Nylander expressed his excitement for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in the build up. He acknowledged the strong competition and the opportunity to play alongside some of the best players in the world. When asked about the possibility of playing with Jesper Bratt, Nylander said, "I skate with Jesper a little bit in the summer, a tremendous player, and obviously we have a lot of great guys, but he would be a fun guy to play with, that's for sure."
He also joked about the prospect of facing his Toronto Maple Leafs teammate, Auston Matthews, who will be captaining Team USA, saying, "I was telling Matty (Auston Matthews) I might drop the gloves."
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