William Nylander of the Toronto Maple Leafs scores a goal past Calen Addison of the San Jose Sharks in the third period at SAP Center on Jan. 6 in San Jose, California.Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
The word is that the Maple Leafs are close to signing William Nylander to a long-term contract. Surely, these negotiations can’t go on much longer
Nylander just plays better and better and the terms become more favourable to him.
On Saturday the Maple Leafs’ style maven and subway-cellular king scored twice and had an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Sharks in San Jose.
It was the last in a three-game trip to California, in which Nylander had four goals and assisted on two others and Toronto won every time.
He is now ahead of his pace from last year, when he had career bests with 40 goals and 87 points. His 54 points lead the team and as of Sunday were tied for the fifth-most in the NHL with some fellow named McDavid. His 21 goals are second in Toronto’s lineup to Auston Matthews.
Remember when fans were outraged when Nylander had the temerity in 2018 to hold out for a six-year US$45-million deal? Get ready for monopoly numbers this time – somewhere in the range of US$11.5-million a year for eight years.
Of course the organization could Ebenezer it and bicker over a half million or so – and Nylander could decide to call off negotiations until the end of the season. I’m just cherry picking here but perhaps he could wait to see if the Florida Panthers or Rangers or Dodgers – sorry, wrong sport – would offer more.
Nylander is on a three-year run. His numbers in each of the past three seasons have exploded.
“I am just building off of what I did last year and the year before that,” Nylander said after the dust-up with the Sharks. “I am getting older and I am more mature. I think everything is coming together and I am becoming the player I am capable of being.”
Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has promised to do his utmost to extend Nylander’s contract and the latter is more than ready to accept when it matches what he desires.
“That would be a dream to stay here and play for such an organization,” Nylander said late Saturday. “I want to call Toronto home. I think that would be a very special feeling.”
Everything points toward a happy ending and quite likely soon. If that comes to fruition the timing could not be better.
The Maple Leafs are 20-10-7 and third in a division that has begun to tighten. Boston continues to lead the Atlantic with 54 points, but Florida has closed to within two. Toronto is playing well and seven back and it would be a major plus if one of its stars was not distracted by talks over money.
“That would be great,” Mitch Marner said Saturday after he netted his 15th goal against San Jose. “We’ll see what happens. He is having a great year for us and is a big part of this team.”
When it comes to smart signings, Treliving has to be complimented on acquiring veteran goalie Martin Jones as a free agent for one year at US$875,000.
Jones was in the net for all three games in California and allowed just two goals total on 83 shots. He has gone from being a backup to the backup to a saviour of sorts with Joseph Woll injured and Ilya Samsonov banished to the AHL.
The 33-year-old is 7-3 overall and has a .932 save percentage.
“He has been great, on this trip,” Sheldon Keefe, the head coach, said Saturday night. “We have leaned on him a lot and he has just been tremendous.”
Keefe said at the start of the year he hoped he would never need Jones.
“The fact that he has done the job he has to stabilize our group through an important and difficult time is terrific.”
In an odd twist, Toronto is home to San Jose on Tuesday. The Sharks are the league’s worst team. Expect Nylander to be unleashed and his value to go up a notch.