Whenever I think of Swedish hockey players who sported outlandish offseason “looks,” I remember something most hockey people -- even sardonic ones -- forgot: that time Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg rocked some truly over-the-top braids.
Well, we have a new entry for wild summer Swede looks, and I’m not sure this entry from Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander will be so easily forgotten.
At least, it sure seems like his Maple Leafs teammates giving him a hard time about it will make it tougher for this to totally go away. And, really, why would you want it to? Nylander’s going for it, and I gotta say, I’m here for it. He shared this wonderful shot on Instagram, reminding us, again, that young Maple Leafs stars are probably the most reliable resource for hockey players actually showing some personality.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Y3wtmIiif/
The real challenge, especially for us olds who aren’t particularly in touch with pop culture, is to ponder who or what might have inspired the look. Is Nylander going for Post Malone? “Springbreakers,” maybe? Perhaps he was inspired by Kawhi Leonard’s Raptors run?
Either way, Nylander’s teammates roasted him for posting that picture of him enjoying smoked meats (Nylander’s comment simply read “prosciutto!”). Even former teammate Andreas Borgman had to weigh in, agreeing with Auston Matthews, Kasperi Kapanen, and Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak.
Although, there’s hope, as Maple Leafs defensive prospect Rasmus Sandin approves with a 10/10 rating ... or was being sarcastic.
Finally, most importantly: who wins, Nylander or Klingberg?
I'm probably having the best haircut in Marbella for the moment. 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/wTroj3Yozo
— John Klingberg (@johnklingberg) June 23, 2015
The real winners: us, of course.
MORE: ProHockeyTalk’s 2019 NHL free agency tracker
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.