According to HEOTP's SHL writer Patrik B, the newspaper Aftonbladet has reported on Tom Nilsson's move to sign with Frölunda for 2015-2016: "According to Tom Nilsson, when he was cut from AHL Toronto asked about him, but as they had traded him away, he said no. Didn't like the instability of the situation," Patrik B said.

Drafted 100th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2011, he spent 2014-2015 with the Toronto Marlies, registering 1 goal and 5 assists for the team. He registered no points in the playoffs. Traded to the Islanders in a package for Michael Grabner on Sept. 17, he was sent down to the Islanders' AHL team in Bridgeport for camp. Then, confusion started. Paraphrased from Aftonbladet:

"I had a meeting with the NHL guys and they had only positive things to say. Then I was sent to the AHL camp with their farm team Bridgeport and it went well. They told me to start looking apartment and I thought then I would remain in Bridgeport. But two days later they told me to wait instead...but then came news Tuesday that they wanted me to stay. It was weird, it was a difficult position. I did not understand at first, I asked where I was going now, and what would happen."

Relevant to the Leafs system is this part of the article, where the organization asked him to return:

"I had two NHL clubs that I would have been able to sign with, Toronto and another. But after everything that happened in the past month, there was a carousel in my head, and I felt that Frolunda was the best choice. Where I know they want to invest in me. To go back to Toronto felt not so timely after they traded me away, and the other club I did not know anything about. Did they just wanted to have a player to fill their AHL team, or did they really go for me? And I like how Frölunda work, it's just where I want to be."

Nilsson's decision was to sign with Frölunda, after feeling that returning to Toronto was "not timely" after being traded.