William Nylander hit training camp this week as one of the Toronto Maple Leafs longest-tenured forwards, making his debut over 10 years ago now.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, there’s the added excitement of playing in an Olympic year. Already named to Sweden’s roster for the upcoming Games in Milan, Nylander doesn’t face the pressure some players do of having to crack the roster. On the contrary, a debut Olympic appearance on the horizon could prove to be a distraction, but Nylander learned from last year how to focus on the task at hand.
“Last year was 4 Nations, and while it’s in the back of your mind, it’s not what you’re focusing on,” he said, speaking to media at camp Thursday. “Once it gets closer, you start thinking about it … but obviously very excited for that, that’s something as a kid you always dream of.”
At 4 Nations, Nylander had two assists in three appearances with Sweden. Having had success at the World Championships with his home country before, he’ll be chasing a big tournament this time around to get Sweden back on the podium for the first time since 2014.
Having played in Toronto for a long time now, Nylander has seen all sorts of changes. This year, the 29-year-old concedes that the absence of Mitch Marner was weird at first, but he’s growing accustomed to the team’s new look. With that, he shared his thoughts on Nicolas Roy, the Quebec native who came to Toronto the Marner trade.
“From playing against him over the years, he’s an incredible player,” Nylander said. “Great size, and I think he’s got some skill that goes unnoticed, plays both sides of the puck. I’m very happy to have him on the team.”
One other small change going into this season is that under the the NHLPA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, there is no longer a mandatory dress code for players, allowing more flexibility for what they wear in walk-ins. A fashionable guy, Nylander was asked if he has any new outfits in mind for the upcoming year.
“I’m not a planner, so we’ll see,” Nylander said. “Probably 4 p.m. before the game, I’ll be figuring out what I’m gonna wear.”
While outfits and Olympics are fun distractions, Nylander is concerned Toronto’s on-ice product above all else. After a 45-goal campaign last year, he’ll be looking to prove he can keep producing those big numbers this season.