NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets at Montreal Canadiens - Source: Imagn — Alex Nylander speaks out on Brady Tkachuk hit, Simon Benoit stepping in to defend him

Alex Nylander speaks out on Brady Tkachuk hit, Simon Benoit stepping in to defend him

Modified Sep 25, 2024 16:38 GMT

Alex Nylander got hit hard by Brady Tkachuk in last night's (Sept. 24) preseason matchup, prompting a bit of a scuffle. After the whistle blew, Tkachuk skated by and knocked Nylander clean off his feet. Just a couple of moments later, Simon Benoit was mixing it up with Tkachuk to stand up for his fallen teammate.

Expand Tweet

Nylander said of the hit and the fact that his teammate came to his defense after the surprise hit:

"Appreciate that a lot. That was just coming out of nowhere. I don’t even know what he was trying to do, but he caught me off guard. He hit me, and it was really nice and awesome to see Benny step up."

Tkachuk skated by and bowled into the Toronto Maple Leafs star, knocking him over well after the whistle blew. It took the fallen player a moment to get to his feet, but by then, Benoit was fighting Tkachuk.

The Ottawa Senators player and Benoit were tangled up, and referees had to get involved to split them apart. Tkachuk appeared to get a clean hit on Benoit before the scuffle was dissolved, but Nylander appreciated that his teammate came to his aid.

Alex Nylander reveals why he turned down NHL deals for AHL contract with Toronto

Alex Nylander may be an impactful player for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. If he is, they can thank his older brother, William Nylander. The elder Nylander convinced his younger sibling to turn down five other NHL deals to take an AHL contract with Toronto.

Alex Nylander signed with the AHL (Imagn)

He said, via Athlon Sports:

“I think it was best to come here with the development and stuff like that. They really care about the development of players and can make me a better player. If I get the chance to earn that NHL contract, it could be really good for me.”

He cited his older brother as a "big influence," as well as his father and agent. Nylander thought this was the best option for his career, and so far, it's "feeling really good." If he makes it into the opening-day lineup, he will start his season on Oct. 8.