Leafs and Nylander heading towards a bridge deal?
James Mirtle of The Athletic: The Toronto Maple Leafs are still looking at in the $6 million range and William Nylander around Leon Draisaitl‘s $8.5 million. believes the long-term number is between those, in the low $7 million range, but it’s not looking like they’ll get there.
Signs are pointing to them focusing on a bridge deal. Sources are saying the Maple Leafs are not interested in a one-year deal as Nylander would then hold arbitration rights next year.
With Nylander five years away from unrestricted free agency, a bridge deal would be between two and four years.
Nikita Kucherov‘s three-year bridge deal at $4.767 is the best comparable.
Are the Oilers interested in Nylander?
Chris Nichols of Nichols on Hockey: Craig Button said on TSN 1050 that William Nylander would look good beside Connor McDavid. Darren Dreger responded with:
“It’s funny you say that, but I checked in with Oilers’ management the other day,” indicated Dreger. “And the message that – Look, Peter Chiarelli didn’t necessarily want me to put this out there as headline news, but he said, ‘Look, I’m not chasing William Nylander.’
Kapanen comparison
Chris Nichols of Nichols on Hockey: Darren Dreger was on TSN 1050 talking about Kasperi Kapanen‘s next contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dreger spoke with some agents and other NHL contacts and came up with a comparison.
“The basic comparison I got was Elias Lindholm of the Calgary Flames, the comparison to Kasperi Kapanen. And Lindholm signed a six-year extension in Calgary at just under $5 million.”
Dreger continues that somebody will eventually will have to be moved, but it doesn’t it has to be William Nylander or Kapanen.
“You’re squeezing those contracts into the Toronto Maple Leafs’ future, somebody is going to have to go. It doesn’t have to be Nylander. It doesn’t have to be Kapanen. But it’s going to have to be someone, and I don’t think just letting Jake Gardiner walk is going to be enough.”