Mirtle: This appears to be the end for Zach Hyman as a Maple Leaf

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T. Tadi
June 16, 2021 (11:57)

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The NHL's unrestricted free agency period begins six weeks from today. There is still time for the aforementioned to come true and for the two sides to meet and come to an agreement. But the more I've talked to folks on the team in the weeks since the Leafs' season ended in such a dreadful way, the less that seems to be the case.

All that happened in that time frame was he put up his best season in the NHL, scoring at a prorated 29-goal, 63-point pace during the regular season. And his value on the open market continued to climb.

Other teams and agents around the league believe Hyman can now command close to $6 million a season on a long-term deal, an unthinkable sum only a year or two ago.

Josh Anderson's mammoth seven-year, $38.5 million deal signed with the Canadiens last October often comes up as a comparable.

Anderson is two years younger than Hyman, but he's only produced 82 goals and 139 points in the NHL over 319 games. Hyman, a late bloomer who spent four years in college, has 86 goals and 185 points in 345 career games.

The Leafs aren't going to be able to come close to matching that amount. While both Hyman's side and the Leafs have declined to comment, I don't feel a hometown discount would be excessive in this case.

Perhaps a few million dollars added to the amount to account for Hyman's ability to acquire sponsors in Toronto and his ability to stay close to home.

Even shaving off a few million and adding an extra year won't get the Leafs to a very comfortable amount on the cap hit if the expected range of what he'll get is between $30 million and $35 million. Possibly $4.5 million.