Penguins re-sign forward Alex Nylander

The Pittsburgh Penguins have secured the services of a forward on an expiring contract, signing winger Alex Nylander to a one-year deal.

From the Penguins:

The two-way contract runs through the 2022-23 campaign and carries an average annual value of $750,000 at the NHL level.

Nylander, 24, was acquired by Pittsburgh on Jan. 5, 2022, and reported to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) for the remainder of the season where he tallied 16 goals, 16 assists, and 32 points in 44 games.

The 6-foot-1, 192-pound forward has 84 games of NHL experience under his belt, recording 13 goals, 19 assists, and 32 points between the Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres.

In 232 career AHL games, split between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Rockford, and Rochester, Nylander has tallied 52 goals, 76 assists, and 128 points.

The brother of Toronto Maple Leafs superstar, William Nylander, Alex has yet to find solid footing in the NHL.

At the very least, Nylander’s new contract provides the Penguins with solid organizational depth at the winger position, should an injury arise to any of Pittsburgh’s primary forwards.

And given that Nylander is only 24 and has proven to score from time to time at the NHL level, he could give the Penguins a youthful shot in the arm and provide the team with cheap depth while they try to navigate murky salary cap waters.

Don’t be surprised to see the Calgary native compete for a spot in the opening night lineup come October. While he hasn’t lived up to the billing of a traditional eighth overall draft choice, Nylander has the tools at his disposal to become an NHL player once again.