After being drafted eighth overall in this year's NHL draft, Alexander Nylander is now participating in his first development camp with the Buffalo Sabres.
While many find can find their first taste of NHL action daunting, it certainly hasn't bothered this young forward - who watched his brother William go through the same process with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"I've been expecting this," Nylander said, according to NHL.com's Joe Yerdon. "This is what my brother went through with the [Maple Leafs] and he sort of taught me what development camp looks like and nothing happened that I haven't expected yet. It's been a lot of fun today."
While William made his NHL debut last season, the younger Nylander starred for the OHL's Mississauga IceDogs, recording 75 points in 57 games, and his new Sabres teammates are quickly recognizing his ability on the ice.
"Obviously he's got great skill," Sabres forward Hudson Fasching said. "He's making plays out there today, you can kind of just tell if you pay a little extra attention to him that every puck he shoots it's crisp, [and] it's in a direction.
"He's aiming for a really small area and a lot of times it looks like he's hitting it. So you kind of look for the small details in a guy like that."
It is still unclear where Nylander may play next season. If he can't crack the Buffalo roster, the 18-year-old could suit up in the AHL, return to the OHL, or head back to Sweden.
