Nylander Trade Rumors Heating Up As Season Approaches
William Nylander has been one of the most important players on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the past few years. Despite this, no member of the Core Four has had their name in as many trade rumors as Nylander, and his lack of a contract extension only fuels those rumors.
Rumors Intensifying
Both Auston Matthews and William Nylander are in need of new contracts for the 2024-25 season, and there's only so much money to go around. With the chance of Toronto letting Matthews go being all but zero, and their talks with Nylander being nonexistent, it seems like Willy may be on his way out the door.
A new report from The Hockey News suggests that the Leafs could trade Nylander given their current cap situation.
It's believed Nylander seeks a long-term contract worth an average annual value of $10 million. With Auston Matthews expected to sign a lucrative extension and Mitch Marner in line for an expensive new contract in 2025, retaining all three could take up a considerable chunk of the Leafs' cap space.'
When you take into consideration Nylander's> $10 million per year contract ask, it starts to become clear as to why Toronto may want to move him.
The Right Choice?
While Nylander's ask may be high, some fans might argue that Mitch Marner should go before Nylander, and they have a case.
Out of every Toronto star, Nylander is the only one who has consistently continued his production into the playoffs, even elevating his game to a level that his fellow stars fail to do. Marner on the other hand, proves to be more of a liability come the postseason.
When you factor in Marner's almost $11 million per year contract, the cost-benefit analysis starts to favor Nylander.
This isn't to say that Toronto's front office feels the same way, but there's certainly a case to be made in favor of keeping Nylander over Marner.
As Seen on The Hockey News
| POLL | ||
Who would you rather have? | ||
| Marner | 1607 | 65.2 % |
| Nylander | 859 | 34.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
