Mark Zwolinski of the Toronto Star: William Nylander’s camp is reportedly looking for around $8 million a season, with the Toronto Maple Leafs ranging from as low as $5 million up to $7.5 million depending on the term of the deal.
The Maple Leafs might be looking at a short-term deal in the two to four years, with Nylander looking for six to eight years.
The contracts of Nikita Zaitsev and Patrick Marleau, and the future contracts of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and maybe Jake Gardiner are making it harder for the Leafs to fit in a big Nylander contract.
If the Leafs were to trade Nylander, belief is that they’d want a young defenseman and a draft pick.
There are six weeks until the December 1st deadline to sign or he loses eligibility to play in the NHL this season.
Maple Leafs Hot Stove: Bob McKenzie yesterday on TSN talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs and Wiliam Nylander situation.
“From what I understand – and we are all flying a little bit blind here – it sure feels like there is still a significant gap. I am not saying these are the numbers, but there is a $2 million gap on a long-term deal at six or seven years, maybe there is only a $1 million gap on a two-year deal. But a $1 million gap is astronomical on a short-term deal.”
Yes, Dubas is out scouting some games, but the idea of trading Nylander may not be on their minds at all.
“Leafs fans see Dubas at a Calgary and Rangers game and start coming up with Nylander trade scenarios… I could be way, way off here, but I don’t think the thought of trading Nylander, at this point in time, has even crossed the mind of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Kyle Dubas.”
McKenzie on the how they may looking at bridge deal and not a long-term deal.
“If Lewis Gross says, “I’ll do a two-year deal at $6 million [AAV},” we’re like, “We wanted to do a six-year deal at $6-6.7 million and now you’re looking for a bridge deal for what we were looking at as the long-term number.”
A two-year deal at $5 million per for the Leafs might make a lot more sense. It’s closer to what Kucherov got, although his was a three-year deal.”
McKenzie thinks that this should be the week the two sides get a deal on done, but doesn’t know if they will.
“You are not going to get $6 million on a two-year deal. You are not going to get $7-8 million on a six-year deal. You better find out what number you can live with on a short-term deal, get back to work, score some goals, get your salary arb rights, and stick it right up the you-know-what of the Toronto Maple Leafs when the system favours you more than it favours the club.”