Three weeks ago, on July 1, my colleague Spencer Lazari suggested the team add Alex Nielunder at a low cost, and I wanted to explore this possibility in more detail and why it would be a smart move for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
As Lazari pointed out, Toronto fans love William Nielunder, so he wondered if they could sign his brother Alex to fill the bottom six. Alex has bounced around after a shaky start to his NHL career. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 2016 and has also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets. He played in 23 games with the Blue Jackets last season, scoring a career-high in goals. Despite this promising performance, Columbus did not extend him a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent (UFA).
Why aren't the Maple Leafs pursuing Alex Nielunder?
There are two ways to address the above question. The first is to explain why the Maple Leafs would keep Nielunder and not sign him as a free agent. The second is to take a more “why not” perspective and offer some reasons why William's brother would be a good choice to sign to a value contract. The remainder of this article will cover both.
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It's surprising that the younger Nylunder brother, Alex, remains a free agent despite his success with the Blue Jackets. Given his pedigree and how he performed last season, why not sign him? He's definitely a scorer, though not on the same level as his brother. Last season, he recorded 11 goals and 4 assists (for a total of 15 points) in 23 games for the Blue Jackets. He also completed the run with a minus-1 rating, which isn't bad for a Columbus team that kept losing.
But before we get into why they might want to sign him, let's first look at why the Maple Leafs might not want to sign him. First, while Nylander has shown flashes of talent, he has struggled with consistency throughout his career. The Maple Leafs may be hesitant to invest in a player who hasn't proven he can perform consistently over the course of a season. Toronto already has depth at the forward position, especially on the wing, with plenty of young talent.
Also, the Maple Leafs are once again in a salary-cap bind. Even a low-cost contract like Nylander's could limit their flexibility to make other moves or re-sign key players, including young players who are no longer on waivers. Instead of chasing Alex, the Maple Leafs may decide to develop their current prospects instead of taking a chance on a player who hasn't yet reached his potential.
Why the Maple Leafs should sign Alex Nielunder
That said, there's always the chance that a young player like Nylander could break out. He seems to have the pedigree and skill set to be a valuable asset. If he gets going, he could be a significant offensive force, making this a low-risk, high-reward deal. There are still a lot of “ifs,” but sometimes uncertain moves pay off.
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Secondly, Alex will join Toronto and be reunited with his brother William, which will provide familiarity and chemistry. Could that boost his confidence and performance? Perhaps the family bond could translate to better on-ice chemistry and production for both brothers.
Third, the Maple Leafs have an elite top-six forward line, but like any team in the NHL, they would benefit from some added scoring power, especially if it could be acquired on a bargain price. Nielnder could play in a bottom-six role, contributing offensively and taking some pressure off the top line.
Given his history, it is unlikely he will sign anything more than the NHL league minimum. The financial risk would be low for the Maple Leafs. If Nylander doesn't work out, they can easily move on without a significant impact on the cap. Finally, as a player who wants to prove something, Nylander will have a strong drive to play hard and well. He will likely make the most of his opportunity and exceed expectations.
Why the Maple Leafs remain cautious…
So Toronto has good reason to be cautious. But there's a chance they could acquire Nylander on a league-minimum contract. If he's as rink-happy as Connor Brown said he was about his brother William, Alex could bring depth, scoring potential and a potential breakout season. Would that be worth it for the Maple Leafs to find out? It seems only natural that the organization would ask that question.
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Besides the allure of reuniting with his brother, signing Nylander could be a strategic move for the Maple Leafs. With little salary cap room and the need to pay attention in other areas, the team must find a bargain player to bolster its forward corps. Nylander could be a cost-effective option and could even agree to a two-way contract. This flexibility would allow the team to send him to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) if necessary.
This could be a win-win situation, as Nylander could find his game, have a productive season and provide valuable depth at a very low cap hit.
