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.”

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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.

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“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.”

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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.

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