Pencil in a coming-out party for the Nylander brothers this holiday season.
Team Sweden named both William Nylander, the prized prospect of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and his younger brother, Alexander, to the country’s early, 26-man roster for the upcoming 2016 World Junior Hockey Championship on Monday.
William, 19, tweeted about the good news, congratulating his younger sibling with the hashtag “brotherlove.”
“He’s a little better version of me,” William, the American Hockey League’s leading scorer, told Hockey Central at Noon of Alex.
The 17-year-old Alexander has been a wonder in his Ontario Hockey League debut season, racking up 47 points in 31 games with the Mississauga Steelheads. While William is making a sturdy case to be called up to the Maple Leafs, posting 29 points through 22 games with the Toronto Mariles.
Jeff Marek hosts Sportsnet’s weekly CHL podcast, a one-stop shop for news, analysis, opinion and interviews covering the WHL, OHL and QMJHL. Sam Cosentino, the CHL’s top analyst/insider, will join Marek each week to discuss the latest from around the league, as will newsmakers from across the CHL. Couple that with NHLers remembering their days in junior hockey and regular updates on the latest risers and fallers for the NHL Draft, and there’s really nowhere else fans need to go.
Over the boards | iTunes | Podcatchers
The 40th World Junior Ice Hockey Championship begins Dec. 26 in Helsinki, Finland. The gold medal game will be played on Jan. 5.
Here is Sweden’s complete early roster, 20 of whom have already been selected in the NHL Draft:
Host nation Finland also named its early roster Monday.
Notables include Maple Leafs prospect Kasperi Kapanen and Colorado Avalanche prospect Mikko Rantanen, both of whom are enjoying solid AHL seasons.
