Nylander Finally Has a Door Open with the Flames

Sometimes a hockey story doesn't need to be complicated. Alexander Nylander has a new contract. And for the former Maple Leafs forward, that's pretty darn good news. Nylander signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Calgary Flames on Friday after coming to training camp on a tryout. The Flames liked what they saw and gave him a deal.

Now comes the interesting part. Does he get to play? That's the whole thing with Nylander. He can score. He has shown that before. And he certainly showed it last season with the Toronto Marlies, putting up 24 goals and 53 points in 65 AHL games.

That's pretty good production.

The Flames have given Nylander a chance. Now let him take it.

The two-way contract means nothing is guaranteed. Calgary could still send Nylander to the minors, and nobody should be surprised. But the 27-year-old has done enough in camp to earn himself another opportunity. And maybe that's the real story here.

Nylander has bounced around a bit. He’s played for Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Toronto, but he hasn't exactly established himself as a regular NHL player. That's got to be frustrating. Especially when you know you can play.

Now he's back in Calgary. And that's kind of neat. This is his hometown. It's where Alexander Nylander was born. There is something pretty appealing about the possibility of him getting another shot at the NHL level right there.

Alexander has left his brother William to pursue his own goals.

He also lived with his brother William in Toronto last season, but now he's trying to carve out his own opportunity. At some point, it's not about being a highly regarded prospect anymore. It's about getting somebody to give you a real chance and then doing something with it.

Nylander has done the first part. He has earned the contract. Now comes the harder part. Grabbing an NHL spot.

Give the guy some NHL runway.

The Flames have plenty of young players trying to establish themselves, so Nylander won’t be handed anything. That’s as it should be. But if he keeps playing the way he did in the AHL last season, Calgary has a reason to see what that game looks like against NHL competition.

That's what this one-year deal gives him. A door. Now let's hope Calgary opens it. I would like to see Alexander Nylander get a real NHL opportunity in his hometown. He has waited long enough. Maybe Calgary is where it finally happens.