This past weekend, William Nylander was awarded the GuldPucken, or Golden Puck, as the best hockey player in the world from Sweden. He then did an interview with Swedish media where he spoke about the award, the recent season with the Toronto Maple Leafs and his future both on and off the ice.
“It’s
a very special feeling,” Nylander told Expressen’s Adam
Johansson. “It's maybe a goal I’ve always had in the back of my
mind, to try to be Sweden’s best player. I appreciate being chosen
for that because we have so many good Swedish hockey players.”
As Nick Barden of THN’s
Toronto page wrote today, William’s father Michael Nylander was a
winner of the award. But
although the elder Nylander had a lengthy career which included 15
seasons in the NHL, he never won the award. (Scroll down for a
complete list of winners.)
“The season just flew
by,” Nylander
said about
2024-25.
“The Four Nations was an incredible experience. Then came the
playoffs, which was a disappointment in game seven (against the
Florida Panthers).
It was tough, but then I
went to the World Championship. The
fact that
we managed to get a bronze, you
have to look at that positively.”
For the third straight
season, Nylander hit the 40-goal plateau, reaching a career high with
45, which was second in the league, behind only Leon Draisaitl of the
Edmonton Oilers.
“I don’t know, I
play with good players,”
Nylander replied when asked about his scoring success.
“I can’t say exactly what it is, but maybe I’ve
become a little more hungry to score goals. Before, maybe I passed
the puck first, but I don’t really know. It just happened, I
think.”
Former First-Rounder Kieffer Bellows Signs In Sweden
American left winger Kieffer
Bellows, 27, has signed a one-year contract
with Brynäs IF,
the Gävle-based
SHL club announced on Sunday.
Nylander was drafted
eighth overall by the Leafs in 2014 and, since part-way through the
2014-15 season, has played continuously in Toronto, either for the
Leafs or AHL
Marlies. However, he returns home every summer to Stockholm. He
was asked if that’s where he will put down roots when his career is
over.
“Yes, 100 percent,”
he
confirmed about the Swedish capital.
“This
is home. Toronto is home in the same way. I love being in both
places. I’ve considered Toronto home for 10 years – that’s the
longest I’ve lived in one place in my entire life. But here in
Stockholm I have all my family and friends, so I love coming back
home and seeing them. And then of course I love Stockholm – a
wonderful city and it’s just nice to be in Sweden.”
And although he was born
in Calgary, Sweden is, of course, the country that Nylander
represents internationally, which he has done on a number of times.
In June, he was named one of the first six players of the Swedish
team for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
All 12 teams that will compete in the men’s tournament of the 2026
Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy have now announced their rosters.
“It’s a special
feeling to get to put on that jersey and play with the best Swedes in
the world. We have many incredibly talented Swedes, which makes it so
exciting.
“I’ve never been to an Olympics
before, so that’ll be even more special,” he condinued. “Milan
is a cool city and everything around will be really fun. I’m really
excited.”
Reminded
that he’s turning 30 this year, Nylander
was asked about his future from a personal standpoint.
“I’ve
always known that I want children and a family, but it will come when
it comes,” he
said. “I’m
not stressed about it, but I hope it happens one day. When it
happens, it happens.”
Swedish winger Dmytro Timashov, 28, has signed a two-year contract
with Admiral Vladivostok, several Swedish media outlets have
reported.
Golden Puck Previous
Winners:
2023–24 Gustav
Forsling Florida Panthers D
2022–23 Erik
Karlsson San Jose
Sharks D
2021–22 Gabriel
Landeskog Colorado
Avalanche LW
2020–21 Victor
Hedman Tampa Bay
Lightning D
2019–20 Not awarded
due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden
2018–19 Robin
Lehner New York
Islanders G
2017–18 William
Karlsson Vegas Golden
Knights C
2016–17 Erik
Karlsson Ottawa
Senators D
2015–16 Erik
Karlsson Ottawa Senators D
2014–15 Victor
Hedman Tampa Bay Lightning D
2013–14 Joakim
Lindström Skellefteå AIK C
2012–13 Jimmie
Ericsson Skellefteå AIK LW
2011–12 Jakob
Silfverberg Brynäs IF LW
2010–11 Viktor
Fasth AIK G
2009–10 Magnus
Johansson Linköpings HC D
2008–09 Jonas
Gustavsson Färjestad BK G
2007–08 Stefan
Liv HV71 G
2006–07 Per
Svartvadet Modo Hockey C
2005–06 Kenny
Jönsson Rögle BK D
2004–05 Henrik
Lundqvist Frölunda HC G
2003–04 Johan
Davidsson HV71 C
2002–03 Niklas
Andersson Västra Frölunda HC LW
2001–02 Henrik
Zetterberg Timrå IK C
2000–01 Mikael
Renberg Luleå HF RW
1999–00 Mikael
Johansson Djurgårdens IF C
1998–99 Daniel
Sedin Modo Hockey LW
1998–99 Henrik
Sedin Modo Hockey C
1997–98 Ulf
Dahlén HV71 RW
1996–97 Jörgen
Jönsson Färjestad BK C
1995–96 Jonas
Bergqvist Leksands IF RW
1994–95 Tomas
Jonsson Leksands IF D
1993–94 Peter
Forsberg Modo Hockey C
1992–93 Peter
Forsberg Modo Hockey C
1991–92 Tommy
Sjödin Brynäs IF D
1990–91 Thomas
Rundqvist Färjestad BK F
1989–90 Rolf
Ridderwall Djurgårdens IF G
1988–89 Kent
Nilsson Djurgårdens IF C
1987–88 Bo
Berglund AIK F
1986–87 Håkan
Södergren Djurgårdens IF LW
1985–86 Tommy
Samuelsson Färjestad BK D
1984–85 Anders
Eldebrink Södertälje SK D
1983–84 Per-Erik
Eklund AIK C
1982–83 Håkan
Loob Färjestad BK RW
1981–82 Patrik
Sundström IF Björklöven C
1980–81 Peter
Lindmark Timrå IK G
1979–80 Mats
Näslund Brynäs IF LW
1978–79 Anders
Kallur Djurgårdens IF W
1977–78 Rolf
Edberg AIK C
1976–77 Kent-Erik
Andersson Färjestad BK RW
1975–76 Mats
Waltin Södertälje SK D
1974–75 Stig
Östling Brynäs IF D
1973–74 Christer
Abrahamsson Leksands IF G
1972–73 Thommy
Abrahamsson Leksands IF D
1971–72 William
Löfqvist Brynäs IF G
1970–71 Håkan
Wickberg Brynäs IF C
1969–70 Leif
Holmqvist AIK G
1968–69 Lars-Erik
Sjöberg Leksands IF D
1967–68 Leif
Holmqvist AIK G
1966–67 Bert-Ola
Nordlander AIK D
1965–66 Nisse
Nilsson Leksands IF C
1964–65 Gert
Blomé Västra Frölunda IF D
1963–64 Nils
Johansson Alfredshems IK D
1962–63 Ulf
Sterner Västra Frölunda IF RW
1961–62 Anders
Andersson Skellefteå AIK C
1960–61 Anders
Andersson Skellefteå AIK C
1959–60 Ronald
Pettersson Södertälje SK RW
1958–59 Roland
Stoltz Djurgårdens IF D
1957–58 Hans
Svedberg Skellefteå AIK D
1956–57 Hans
Öberg Gävle Godtemplares IK LW
1955–56 Åke
Lassas Leksands IF D
Multiple winners:
3 – Erik Karlsson
2 – Anders Andersson
2 – Leif Holmqvist
2 – Peter Forsberg
2 – Victor Hedman
Photo © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images.
Victor Söderström has been named the top
defenseman in the Swedish Hockey League for the 2024-25 season. As a
result, he has been awarded the Börje Salming
Trophy.
Read the full article here
