Feb 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Sweden forward William Nylander (88) plays the puck against Team Finland in the second period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/861c1e42-c536-46fa-9114-ebe4cefcc99a.jpeg] Feb 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Sweden forward William Nylander (88) plays the puck against Team Finland in the second period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images Toronto Maple Leafs star forward William Nylander capped off a productive NHL season with a medal on home soil, helping Sweden earn bronze at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship. The Swedes defeated tournament co-hosts Denmark 6-2 [https://x.com/IIHFHockey/status/1926666664310976969] in the third-place game on Sunday, securing back-to-back bronze medals at the event. The win also marked the country’s fifth straight win in the Bronze medal game at the Men’s Worlds. Nylander, who joined Sweden's roster late in the tournament, made his presence felt despite the brief appearance. The 29-year-old was added to the team just one day before their quarterfinal matchup against Czechia, which featured his Toronto teammate David Kampf. Sweden earned a 5-2 victory in that game, advancing to the semifinals, where they fell 6-2 to the United States. Nylander scored his lone goal of the tournament [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsHTtPcM4dU] in that semifinal loss. This year marked Nylander’s fourth appearance at the IIHF World Championship. He has been dominant in past tournaments, leading the event in scoring twice (2017, 2019), and earning MVP honors in 2017 when Sweden captured gold. Over 24 career games at the World Championship, Nylander has recorded 16 goals and 22 assists for 38 points. He had one goal in three games at the 2025 tournament. Why Maple Leafs Star William Nylander Joined Sweden at the 2025 IIHF World Hockey Championship [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/17f93ae4-bfd2-499f-a3ff-d7d4da72910f.jpeg] Why Maple Leafs Star William Nylander Joined Sweden at the 2025 IIHF World Hockey Championship Less than 24 hours after Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander said he was "thinking about" joining Team Sweden at the 2025 IIHF World Championships, he officially joins his home country for the tournament. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/why-maple-leafs-start-william-nylander-joined-sweden-at-the-2025-iihf-world-hockey-championship] His participation in this year’s Worlds was his second time suiting up for Sweden this season. He previously represented his country at the 4 Nations Face-Off, registering two assists in three games while serving as an assistant captain. Nylander’s strong international play follows a notable season in Toronto. The winger tallied a career-best 45 goals, along with 39 assists for 84 points in 82 regular-season games. He was also the Maple Leafs’ top playoff performer, leading the team with 15 points (6G, 9A) in 13 games. Ending his 2024-25 campaign on a high note, the Swede will be entering the second year of an eight-year, $92 million contract in the 2025-26 season. Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwytvfCA?ceid=CA:en&oc=3] to never miss a story.
