On the Toronto Maple Leafs …
Maple Leafs Hot Stove: William Nylander on TSN was saying he’s not worried about a contract extension – though the sides have talked – and is focusing on the season.
“They’ve talked a little bit, but we’ll see what happens. I’m just more focused on the season right now.”
Darren Dreger on TSN 1050 on if the Maple Leafs would like to get a contract in place for Nylander sooner than later.
“I think that wise hockey executives do pay attention to what happens around them. If Pete Chiarelli could hit the rewind button and go back to last summer with Leon Draisaitl, of course he would do that. Toronto has to be looking at that situation and going, “Okay, so how much do we believe in these young guys” at this point. If they believe in them, it’s probably wise spending to get it done as soon as possible.”
Dreger on if he’s heard anything regarding the Maple Leafs.
“No, not yet. Obviously, predictably, that is going to heat up. In this market, it becomes daily fodder for this type of conversation. It doesn’t appear, at least in the conversations I’m having, that Lou is very active when I last checked — this is going back a couple of weeks.
A lot can change in the coming days. I was told they were done; done in terms of getting ready and getting solidified for training camp. And then they’ll go through their process with the exhibition season and early in the regular season.
There are still some available players out there when you look at the blue line of, say, Las Vegas. I’m not suggesting Toronto was in on Matt Duchene in Colorado, but there were all sorts of scenarios that were at least thrown out there leading up to the draft and after the draft, including Colorado being involved in a three-way where Duchene would go here and this player would go there. I can’t dismiss any of that involving the Toronto Maple Leafs in some form.”