On Thursday, September 25, William Nylander hard-launched his YouTube channel with a trailer he posted to the site's Shorts page. The video is a combination of clips of the Toronto star's day-to-day life, Leafs behind the scenes, and even his vacationing.
Willy opens the video saying, “I decided to start a YouTube channel so you guys could follow me around and see what my life is like”.
The channel is simply @williamnylander, and has already reached over 3,000 subscribers within just a few hours of the trailer being posted.
Needless to say, the response from fans has been overwhelmingly positive, and they seem excited for what’s to come from the channel.
William Nylander has started a YouTube channel and I fear this is going to be single greatest source of content I've ever seen https://t.co/e9bCSTkKj6
— Willyston Riellander (@nylanderthews) September 25, 2025
Nylander has always been for the people, with fans sharing their positive experiences of meeting him, as well as the numerous events and endorsements he has been a part of during his time in Toronto.
He saw an opportunity to become even more liked and took it
— Jo (@puckdrop) September 25, 2025
Perhaps social media and content creation run in the family. Ella Nylander, the youngest of the Nylander siblings, has garnered a TikTok following of just under 25 thousand followers, and also posts ‘day in the life’ style videos. She vlogs her day-to-day while travelling between Toronto and Stockholm, Sweden.
While Nylander isn't the first pro player to create a YouTube channel, it's definitely uncommon in the hockey world. Former Maple Leafs goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo also has a YouTube channel where he posts behind-the-scenes hockey contnent.
Creating a channel like this is a great way to connect with fans in ways that otherwise wouldn't exist. The type of content that it seems Willy will be uploading is a look into his life, so fans can learn more about him than just the hockey side of things. Some fans may see this as a way of giving back to those who have supported and followed him throughout his career.
This could also introduce the world of a professional hockey to a new audience. Growing the game is always a positive thing, even if it's coming from a popular players YouTube!
Who knows, if Willy's channel sees success, maybe other NHLers will follow in suit.
In the meantime, fans will be eagerly waiting for the first Willy Styles video drop!