Maple Leafs and Nylander with a little Ducks and Hurricanes
Chris Nichols of Nichols on Hockey: Pierre LeBrun was on TSN 1050 and was asked if the Anaheim Ducks and Carolina Hurricanes would be the leading trade candidates if the Toronto Maple Leafs went down the road of considering a William Nylander trade.
TSN co-host Gord Miller brings up Brandon Montour and Jaccob Slavin.
LeBrun mentions that the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes did talk in the offseason, but it was about Justin Faulk and didn’t involve Nylander, and doubtful the Hurricanes would want to move Slavin.
“But keep in mind, and I’ve talked to a couple of GMs about this, it’s one thing A) liking William Nylander and B) being willing to move some pretty good assets to get him. So far, I know some teams are willing to do those first two things. The problem is 3) the same problem the Leafs have with Nylander, is what a couple of teams are concerned about having themselves, which is, ‘What’s the number we can sign him to?’
LeBrun thinks that some teams are keeping in touch with the Leafs, and they continue to get told that the aren’t interested in trading him.
LeBrun adds that he believes there are teams that have directly contacted Nylander’s agent Lewis Gross.
Chris Nichols of Nichols on Hockey: Bob McKenzie was on NBCSN last night and was asked about the Toronto Maple Leafs possibly trading William Nylander.
McKenzie doesn’t believe the Maple Leafs have any intention of trading Nylander. The Leafs see him as part of their core, but it’s obviously not going to be easy to fit everyone in. Sense is that Nylander doesn’t want to leave Toronto.
“But I think he also has some fears that if he does sign a long-term six or seven-year deal with the Leafs, he maybe is a little bit afraid that when the salary cap pressures start to mount – when they get the Auston Matthews contract done in a year, when they get the Mitch Marner contract – there may come a point sooner rather than later where financially they do have to make a trade. And Nylander feels like, ‘I might be the guy that goes, so I don’t want to want to take too big a ‘hometown discount’ to stay in Toronto, and then find myself shipped out a year or two down the road.’”
