NHL Network: The panel discusses Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander as he enters the final season of his contract.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Tony Luftman: “He had 40 goals, Auston Matthews. Tied for the team lead with, our number five storyline, Willy Nylander. 40 goals for him also.
So the ink is still trying on the Auston Matthews pact. What about Willy Nylander, Kony, because this guy has so much to offer that franchise and they’ve seen him flourish there?
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Steve Konroyd: “He’s really taken another step this year. What worries me about the situation in Toronto is, you mentioned next year kicks in the Auston Matthews contract. North of $13 million. You add Mitch Marner. You add (John Tavares). That’s $35 million for three guys.
So I don’t think they can afford him. And I think William Nylander, before the end of this season, will be traded somewhere.
The money’s just now there. And I know the salary caps going up next year, might be even close to $90 million, but they just can’t have three forwards almost $35, $36 million and then add another, and Nylander’s going to want close to $10 million a year.
That’s just a little too rich for the Toronto Maple Leafs. So the good news is, they should gets some good return for him. But no, I do not believe he’ll finish the season with Toronto.
Mike Rupp: “Yeah, I mean on the same boat as you in regards to this. What a season he had, tieing Auston Matthews like you said with that 40 goals. And this is a player who, I can’t emphasize this enough, he has been severely underpaid. And they’ve had him on a really good deal. He’s preformed, and quite frankly he’s shown he’s a gamer too. Like he comes through in big moments.
I still think there’s an evolution to his game. Something I’d like to see in his game. But he’s one of the guys and this were it gets a little sticky. I think, Kony, you could probably tell some stories over the years from teammates where, you could be best of friends but at the end of the day, there’s no IOU’s in hockey. We’ll get you on the flip side.
No, no, no. He’s been underpaid already. He needs to get paid and there’s going to be teams knocking at the door. A team I’ve brought up before is the Anaheim Ducks.
How good would he look there with the young talent they have on that roster? He could be the guy.
But to your point, $10 million. For sure I think he’s at that $10 million range. I think there would be a team out there to give him even more than that.
So I don’t see how they can afford him. I might be wrong there. But I also don’t know if they shouldn’t be, even if they figure out how to get him, I don’t want three guys, Mitch Marner is going to come in around $13 million, I think. You’re going to have Auston at $13.5 (million). Mitch Marner coming in at $13 (million). If you got William Nylander there, you’re talking right there $36 million for those three guys.
I don’t think that’s a winning recipe in the league nowadays.”
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Konroyd: “Yeah, it’s just not doable. They don’t have enough guys on entry-level contracts. Matthew Knies really helps in that respect, and I love what he brought to the Maple Leafs late in the season. But they’ve got too many guys that they’re paying too much money to and that’s what ends up hurting them.”