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Alex Nylander is having a very positive adjustment to Calgary, one of the teams he specifically wanted to go to

Photo credit: Photo Credit: Darren Scott Francis/Abbotsford Canucks

By Paige Siewert

Nov 9, 2026, 15:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 9, 2026, 08:12 EST

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The city of Calgary holds some special history for the Nylander family and for newly acquired and signed forward Alex Nylander, that’s exactly where he wanted to be. His Dad Michael, played for the Flames from 1993 to 1999 and Calgary was Alex’s birthplace. Although he was too young to remember it, he was eager to come back and see the city as an adult and play in the same organization his Dad did.

When Nylander found out that Calgary was interested in offering him a PTO in the summer, it came with a lot of positive feelings. He said:

“I was really happy. This was one of the teams I wanted to go to out of all of them. So I was really fortunate to get this chance here. They wanted me for the PTO in training camp and I knew that I had it in me that I could play here and show them I could help this team. Obviously, the goal is to get up there and help that team as well. I was really excited. I’m really happy to be back here since I was a kid. Guys had really good times with the organization and it feels like they want me to succeed and help me out as much as possible as well. It’s been great since I’ve been here and I’m just really happy.”

Alex Nylander was announced as a training camp PTO in late August, then was offered a two-way contract from the Flames on Sept. 25. The next day, he was placed on waivers for the purpose of AHL assignment and cleared. He joined the Wranglers for the start of their season and has been there ever since as a top performer.

Nylander has spent limited periods of time in the NHL over the years and has established himself as a consistent top AHL performer. Last season, he was in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, played five games with his brother, and won a Calder Cup with the Toronto Marlies. Just reflecting on that year and being on a championship winning team, Nylander said:

“I mean, it was a lot of fun. It was a great season with that team. We obviously got really close. We were a really close, tight group that did a lot of things on and off the ice together. So, it was a lot of fun. The more we won, the tighter we got and we just all played for each other. Everybody was buying in, doing the hard things that you need to do to win games and stuff like that. We got really good goalies as well. They were amazing. Oh my god. Arty (Artur Akhthymov) was insane. Obviously a huge help that he was backing us up and made us really confident on the ice and it was nice to have him in net.”

Nylander has been one of the Wranglers top-scorers all season so far and while it was mostly made up with assists to start, he is up to a five game point streak as of Saturday. When talking about his play and a seemingly smooth transition to a new team, he said:

“I feel like my game is good. It’s been getting better and better.”

He continued:

“I just believe in myself. Winning the Calder obviously gives you confidence and I thought I was playing really well the last half of the year last year. I had this pocket after in the summer as well where I feel like my game has just been evolving. I’m getting better. More confident, more poised with the puck. Stuff like that. I’m moving my feet and getting on the forecheck, so that helps. Then just with extra stuff. The coaches and the staff have been really easy to talk to and they get to know you as well and help you on the ice as well. So it’s been easy for me to come in here and try to play my game and show I’m a competitor.”

Scheduling-wise, it worked out for Alex to catch up with his older brother, Maple Leafs forward William Nylander, when he was in town to face the Flames last month. The Wranglers had just returned from a road trip and Alex was able to attend the game and hang out with William briefly. He said:

“Yeah, I was there at the game. So I was able to see him after the game. They left the day after so I was able to see him a little bit. It was a lot of fun to see him again, as now we’re not in the same organization so we’re not going to see each other. He’s had a good year so far, so hopefully he keeps it up.”

Alex is an eligible forward for an NHL call-up and entirely a possible option for the Flames at some point this season. The Flames have already played their home game against the Leafs but he might be able to time it in a way that he faces his brother in the NHL on Jan. 26 in Toronto. If not, he still has been proving himself as an established veteran forward that the Flames organization can trust both in the AHL and in the NHL.

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