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The Toronto Maple Leafs moved one step closer to the beginning of the regular season, posting a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday, courtesy of William Nylander’s second goal and game-winner 94 seconds into overtime.
Auston Matthews and Tyler Bertuzzi also scored for Toronto, and Ilya Samsonov made 20 saves in the Leafs fourth win of the exhibition schedule.
The game was another opportunity for players fighting to make the Toronto roster to make a final case for themselves. On the positive side, rookie Matthew Knies was once again solid and appears ready for the challenge of being in the Leafs top nine. 19-year-old Fraser Minten continued his impressive camp playing up the middle with Knies and veteran Calle Jarnkrok, winning seven of nine faceoffs and registering two hits in nearly 13 minutes of ice time.
On the negative side, newcomer Simon Benoit took three minor penalties in 13:25 of ice time in his bid to be the club’s seventh defenseman with Conor Timmins out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
Ilya Samsonov took a high shot and immediately reacted with discomfort.
— Dave McCarthy (@DaveAMcCarthy) October 6, 2023
Making his way to the locker room.#Leafs @NHLdotcom pic.twitter.com/p92LsxKA6j
The Leafs finish out the preseason in Detroit on Saturday. Joseph Woll is expected to get the start.
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William Nylander’s contract status once again bubbled to the service, as the Athletic’s Jonas Siegel reported that Nylander told agent Lewis Gross to continue negotiating with the Leafs into the season, but that he doesn’t want to hear about it until Gross and the Leafs are close to the finish line on a new deal. Siegel suggests that Nylander’s camp has a clear number in mind for his next contract and won’t even contemplate a deal until the Leafs get there.
Matthews to Nylander and that's the game pic.twitter.com/D4UBwSHBvK
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 6, 2023
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated on the Jeff Marek show on Friday that the two sides are not close on an extension. Based on the fact that Mitch Marner and John Tavares are eligible for extensions next summer and that GM Brad Treliving is likely looking to make upgrades to Toronto’s defense in the near future, it is likely that the Leafs will not budge much on a price point for the 27-year-old winger, and could consider dealing Nylander before the deadline if a deal is not reached.