Trade Buzz Heats Up in Toronto as William Nylander's File Stalls

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Tom Banks
August 18, 2023 (2:00)

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have managed to keep busy all summer long, and in the midst of all their moves, they've reportedly continued to work on deals with both Auston Matthews and William Nylander.

Big deals incoming?

The team can reportedly get a deal for both done, but TSN's Dave Feschuk has now reported that if one, likely Nylander comes into training camp un-signed, a deal could be made as to stop a distraction.

If training camp opens and those deals are not closed books then we have a problem. It'll be the conversation that sucks the oxygen out of the room. It'll be the only topic. if I'm betting I would bet that William Nylander is not gunna be done. Auston Matthews will be done but Nylander wont be. It's gunna be the daily Nylander watch....If it comes to having to make a deal and I think it might cause they're pretty far a part.

While there's a chance that Matthews isn't signed by that point either, given how much more valuable he has been to the team since arriving in 2016, it's likely that he will be given a bit more patience by the team.

William Nylander on the way out?

The obvious best choice scenario here would be to lock Nylander in long-term, the Leafs could benefit from some cap relief, and given his high expectations for salary on his next deal, that could contribute to a move as well.

Nylander has a track record of being very staunch in his beliefs of what he's worth and the Leafs are very stanch in what they believe they can pay him. I don't think those two things connect and therefore the Leafs may be in a position where they have to make a move. You gotta trade him, you can't lose him for nothing... I know there's people saying you can have him as your own rental for the year and get the cap space the following summer, I understand but I don't love the idea of a guy on the way out playing without a contract, it doesn't bode well for me if I'm in that room.

The 2023-24 NHL season is less than two months away, and it appears GM Brad Treliving still has plenty of work to do, and if this report is accurate, this team could look very different come October.

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