Sabres 2016 Draft Profiles: Alexander Nylander
One of the top wingers in the draft, Nylander is a player that could be available when the Sabres pick at No. 8.
Alexander Nylander
Position: LW/RW
Ht: 6'0"
Wt: 176 lbs.
Current Team: Mississauga
Central Scouting Ranking: 3 (North America)
ISS Ranking: 6
Many moons ago, we drafted Alexander Nylander in the SBN Mock Draft, and many of you made your voices heard on both sides of the fence. Now that some time has passed, do you still feel the same way about the explosive, creative, versatile forward? Vision and instincts are two things that are hard to teach, and Nylander has both in spades. He's also an extremely impressive skater, and excels at creating offense. Becoming stronger in the weight room and learning to play in his own end will help make him a more complete NHL player, but he certainly has the raw talent and tools to make an impact as a top six player.
Adding Alex Nylander would not only give the Sabres another talented forward for their future, it would also be great for the Sabres/Maple Leafs rivalry that will likely be alive and well for the next ten or so years while Jack Eichel and Auston Matthews duke it out. Nylander's brother, William, was drafted by Toronto in 2014. He had a very successful season with the Marlies this year, scoring 18 goals and 27 assists in 38 games.
What The Experts Are Saying
Nylander is a dynamic player who is an elite skater with a creative skill-set. He has very good offensive hockey sense allowing him to create scoring chances in a variety of ways while making plays at top speed. His offensive instincts make him extremely dangerous in one-on-one situations and a scoring threat every time he is on the ice.
-Dan Marr, Director of NHL Central Scouting
"Nylander dominated the stat sheet, finishing as Sweden's top scorer with nine points. "Maybe as pure a talent as anyone in the draft," said one scout. "He makes plays. It's so impressive. He has the vision, the hands and the instincts."
-The Hockey News
An electrifying talent with NHL bloodlines, Nylander is a dynamic playmaker who can maintain a handle on the puck while splitting seams and quickly finding his linemates.
The next stages of Nylander's development will involve developing a more north-south mentality and continued work on his defensive zone play. Nylander will need to get stronger like most players in his age group, but few possess the highlight-reel offensive punch that Nylanader brings down his off wing, making him a probably Top-10 pick just like his brother was two short years ago.
-Kris Baker, Sabres.com