William Nylander and family celebrate Christmas with outdoor hockey and gift exchanges (via Instagram/@ella.nylander)

In Photos: William Nylander's family exchange Christmas gifts from Chanel, Aritzia; sisters Ella, Stephanie enjoy Xmas skate with hockey brothers

Modified Dec 26, 2024 10:42 GMT

William Nylander's family celebrated Christmas together this year in a special way. On Wednesday, his sister Ella shared a post on Instagram showing their outdoor hockey session. Ella and Stephanie Nylander skated with their brothers, William and Alexander. One of the images showed gifts from luxury brands like Chanel, Celine and Aritzia, left opened under the Christmas tree.

"Merry Christmas from the Nylanders," Ella captioned the post.

The first photo shows the family playing outdoor hockey at night. They are all bundled up in winter clothes, enjoying the cold. Another photo shows a beautifully decorated Christmas tree with white lights and ornaments. Gifts are neatly arranged under the Christmas tree.

Inside the living room, there are presents, candles and small gifts. One picture also shows Nylander's brown dog wearing a festive bandana. A streetlamp with a holiday wreath and snow falling creates a peaceful charm of the season.

The final picture shows Ella posing for a mirror selfie in a gray blazer. William and another family member stand behind her in semi-formal clothes.

William was born in Calgary, where his father, Michael, played for the Calgary Flames. William has dual citizenship in Sweden and Canada. William's younger brother, Alexander, also plays for the Maple Leafs. This made their Christmas even more special as they share a strong bond on and off the ice.

William Nylander and Alex Nylander played together in Leafs' jersey

The Nylander brothers, William Nylander and Alex Nylander, made history by playing together for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Their father, Michael, and sister, Ella, watched the Leafs' 3-2 comeback win over Utah HC at Scotiabank Arena on November 24.

William Nylander scored his 14th goal of the season, which was the game-winner. This tied him for sixth place in franchise history for career game-winning goals. Alex, called up from the AHL Marlies, debuted for the Leafs and joined William on a power-play shift.

Ella Nylander shared the night on Instagram. She posted a mirror selfie before the game, writing:

“Game time!! Go Leafs go!!!!”

During the game, she shared a clip of William’s winning goal, captioning it:

“Let’s go babyyyyy.”

She also posted a photo of both brothers on the ice, calling William “my big big bro” and Alex “lil big bro.”

William Nylander and Alex are the fifth pair of brothers to play for the Leafs, joining the Cullen and Metz siblings. Their debut together was a proud moment for their family and fans.