Switching leagues is one thing, but moving continents in midseason is an uncommon path to the NHL.

But Maple Leafs prospect William Nylander, who began this season in Sweden and will finish it in the American Hockey League, believes he made the right choice by staying in North America after the world junior tournament ended in January.

So does his dad. And so do the Toronto Marlies.

“I feel like the time I spent over here helped me get adjusted to the game,” said Nylander, the Leafs’ top pick (eighth overall) in the 2014 draft. “It gave me the time I needed. It’s been a good choice to come over here.”

Nylander had 20 points in 21 games with Modo of the Swedish Hockey League before joining Sweden’s junior team in December for the world junior tournament, where he was one of the bet players with 10 points in seven games. He finished fifth in Modo scoring — five points behind the team leader — despite playing less than half the Swedish schedule.

But he came to North America to improve his game. And after a slow start, Nylander got better and better.

“For him, it’s a confidence thing,” Marlies coach Gord Dineen said. “He had been playing against men in Sweden. But getting over here, (he was) able to get the feel of the league, the three games in three nights, the travel.

“Now he knows what it’s all about. He’s got a confidence about him now that he’s making the plays he’s capable of and he’s making his teammates better around him.”

Nylander had seven points in February, 10 in March, 13 in April and his hot streak to close the season — four goals and four assists in the final five games — helped push the Marlies into the playoffs.

“I don’t think the schedule was so much an issue,” Nylander said. “Maybe the game, the way it is played differently over here. I adjusted to it as time went on.”

There haven’t been many 18-year-olds to play regularly in the history of the AHL. Canadian and American teenagers typically play junior or college hockey until their seasons end. And only a handful of Europeans have been free agents, like Nylander, able to come to the league as a teenager.

Nylander’s 37 games are the 10th most played by an 18-year-old in AHL history, according to quanthockey.com. And his 14 goals and 32 points are tied for the fourth-most by an 18-year-old in the development league.

“The most important thing is we made the playoffs,” Nylander said. “We’re here. Now we’re pushing. We’re focusing on Grand Rapids.”

The Marlies open the best-of-5 series with games Saturday and Sunday (3 p.m. both days) at the Ricoh Coliseum.

Nylander’s father Michael is taking it all in. A veteran of 920 NHL games still playing in Europe’s lower leagues, the 42-year-old Nylander believes William is close to NHL-ready and could be with the Leafs next season.

“Going in with a great summer behind him in the gym, and getting on the ice before he gets to training camp, anything can happen. We’ll see how it goes. It’s his goal.”

The elder Nylander said he backed his son’s decision to join the Marlies, even as the Leafs promised not to rush their top prospect into the NHL.

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“It was a tough decision (to leave Modo),” Michael Nylander said. “But it was a good decision. It got him into smaller rinks, a different game.”

“It’s up to the organization to say when he’s ready. His time will come.”