According to Swedish paper Aftonbladet, Pär Mårts, head coach of the Swedish men's IIHF team, recently flew to North America to scout William Nylander and a few other Swedish players.

Mårts is scouting Nylander for inclusion on the Swedish team for the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship games, which will be held in Moscow & St. Petersburg from May 6 - 22.

With the Maple Leafs already eliminated from playoff contention, Nylander has the summer free from Leafs hockey commitments. Unless, that is, he's pulled into a long run for the AHL Calder Cup. Nylander is on the Marlies roster that is eligible to play in playoff games, although if rules are the same as WJC, players in the AHL are considered fair game for their national team.

Patrik B of Habs Eyes on the Prize spoke to Peter Forsberg, vice president of the Swedish Hockey Association, about whether Nylander would be considered "untouchable" during a Calder Cup run. Forsberg responded, "If he plays in NHL we can't touch him, but if he is in AHL he should be available for us unless he is injured."

Nylander has played for the Swedish national team at all levels of hockey, beginning with U16 and playing his second year of U20 this season. Although he is already producing at the NHL level with 3G in 11 games, Mårts told Aftonbladet that he still needs to scout Nylander in person.

"I want to see a little more what he contributes," Mårts told Aftonbladet. "I [want to] see with my own eyes - what he does and does not do. How involved he is and all that. (...) I want to see him against adult guys."

Auston Matthews is expected to play on the US IIHF team, making a matchup between potential future Leaf Matthews and current Leaf Nylander even more interesting. Other players on Mårts scouting radar this trip are Adam Larsson and Jacob Josefson of the New Jersey Devils, Mikael Backlund of the Calgary Flames, and Alexander Wennberg and William Karlsson of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Mårts is due to retire after coaching his final IIHF team this coming May.

With thanks to Patrik B of Habs Eyes on the Prize for the additional information.