William Nylander Joins Elite NHL Group for Special Event Overseas
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander takes part alongside fellow NHL stars in new promotion ahead of the Winter Olympics in Italy.
Ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, Nylander was one of seven NHLers who are taking in a new partnership between the NHL and Italy's top soccer division, Serie A.
The NHL announced Nylander, along with Miro Heiskanen, Nico Hischier, William Nylander, Lucas Raymond, Lukas Reichel, & Moritz Seider, will be on hand for the opening week of the new Serie A season on July 23rd, watching AC Milan take on Cremonese in Milan, where the Olympics are to take place.
The visiting group will also visit AC Milan's rivals, Inter Milan, at their training facility. Inter Milan finished second in last season's Serie A. The move is part of the league's new Content Collaboration Partnership.
Nylander was named one of Sweden's first six players to their Olympic Roster. Leafs teammate Auston Matthews was named one of the first six Americans for the U.S. team.
Matthew Knies was recently named to the United States training camp as one of their 44 players in consideration for a spot on the National Team for 2026.
William Nylander Representing Leafs Abroad Ahead Of The Olympics
William Nylander will be one of the NHL's faces as the league is marketed to the Italian crowd ahead of the Olympics.
Italy, which has not been a major hockey natjon but has a passionate fanbase consolidated largely to the Northern part of the country, will be viewed as an opportunity to expand the game into a new domain.
In a statement, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly called the partnership between the two leagues a major step to growing hockey's popularity in Italy, and fostering the game's growth beyond the Olympics.
The NHL is honored to visit Milan alongside our partners at Serie A, continuing to build on the momentum of our strategic collaboration. This week's events give our players and leadership the chance to immerse themselves in one of the world's great sporting cultures while showcasing hockey and NHL players to new global audiences.
By engaging directly with Serie A's passionate fans and iconic clubs, we're strengthening our global footprint and creating connections that will resonate well beyond the Winter Games.
By engaging directly with Serie A's passionate fans and iconic clubs, we're strengthening our global footprint and creating connections that will resonate well beyond the Winter Games.
The Italian Serie A is broadcasted in the United States on Paramount+, and in Canada on FuboTV, with Italian language commentary played on TLN.
Napoli will be looking to repeat as champions this season, with legendary Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne joining from Manchester City on a free transfer.
Swedish Connection Well Represented In Italian Soccer History
William Nylander and Lucas Raymond as two faces of the NHL's partnership is a reminder of Sweden's longstanding connection to Italian soccer.
Italy was an early hotspot of Swedish soccer stars, especially in Milan. Three of Sweden's biggest stars in the 1950's, Gunner Nordahl, Nils Liedholm, & Gunner Gren, joined AC Milan and became key players in Serie A through the 1950's.
Nordahl, the first ever Swedish player to play overseas, is the all-time record holder for Scoring Titles (Capocannoniere), having won the title five times, along with two Serie A titles, and is still AC Milan's all time leading goalscorer.
Other Swedes who played in Italy in the same time period include Kurt Hamrin most prominently with Fiorentina, and Bengt Gustavsson with Atalanta.
Sweden would have players go on to play in Serie A through the decades, but the nation's prominence rose with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with the youngster being one of the top players in soccer for three Italian clubs, including AC Milan & Inter, as well as Juventus, winning the Serie A Player of the Year award three times.
Hockey does have a small Swedish tradition in Italy. Kent Nilsson, one of Sweden's greatest ever players, played a single season in Italy's hockey league with HC Bolzano, scoring an unforgettable 60 goals, 72 assists, & 132 points in just 35 games.
NHLer's Niklas Sundstrom and Niklas Hjalmarsson have played in the Italian league during lockout seasons.
Italy's top youngster, goaltender Damian Clara, plays for Brynas in the Swedish Hockey League, and at 20 years old will be in contention for the starting role in net at the Olympics for the host Italians.
Clara was a second round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, 60th overall.
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AOUT 20 | 799 ANSWERS William Nylander Joins Elite NHL Group for Special Event Overseas Should the NHL expand the game's outreach to new non-traditional markets? | ||
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