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Swiss rendezvous between Leafs, Nylander; face potential crossroads

October 17, 2018, 2:46 PM ET [212 Comments]
Mike Augello
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The impasse between the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander may be reaching a crucial juncture. The Leafs and the restricted free agent have been in talks since July, but both sides have reportedly not made any progress on a long-term or bridge deal.

According to Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is meeting with Nylander and his representatives in Zurich, Switzerland in hopes of reaching an accommodation.

The two sides are said to be far apart on the perimeters on a long-term contract, with Toronto’s price point in the $6-to-6.5 Million per year range on a six-or-seven year deal and Nylander’s camp looking for upwards of $8 Million AAV.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated on Saturday that the focus of the Leafs may be shifting to a four-year bridge deal and that their offer may be in the neighborhood of $4 Million per season, which is less than extended bridges for Nikita Kucherov and Artemi Panarin, but that the winger’s representatives are looking for more than the Leafs are offering on a shorter term deal.

The interesting twist to a four-year deal is that Nylander would still be under control of the Leafs as an arbitration-eligible RFA after it is done, since he did not exceed 40 games in his first NHL season and he is five years away from being eligible for unrestricted free agency.

That fact makes Nylander a better fit for the Leafs salary structure if they choose to keep him in their plans for the foreseeable future, but also makes the 22-year-old winger a more attractive commodity to other teams looking for scoring help as a controllable asset at a certain price point.

Dubas has reportedly made it clear to other NHL GM’s that the Leafs want to keep and sign Nylander and that trading him is not in their plans right now, but that could change based on the progress or lack thereof made during the meeting in Zurich.

Toronto has until December 1 to sign the restricted free agent to a new deal, once that deadline passes, he will still remain Leafs property, but will be ineligible to play in the NHL this season.

Currently that deadline is not putting any pressure on Dubas to make a decision, but if there is not any movement towards a deal being made after meeting face-to-face, it could swing the momentum towards possibly trading Nylander.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun indicated on Tuesday that one team that would be a fit and has the depth on defense to make a deal possible is the Carolina Hurricanes, who are loaded on the blueline with Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Brett Pesce, Jaccob Slavin, Calvin deHaan, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Haydn Fleury and prospects Jake Bean and Adam Fox.

LeBrun believes that a possible player of interest for Toronto would be the 23-year-old right handed Pesce, who is signed through 2023-24 at $4.025 Million per season; the same salary as pending UFA Jake Gardiner.

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