The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering the heated last weeks of November as the deadline for RFA William Nylander closes in.
I just returned home from yet another amazing hockey trip to Toronto to watch the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now, sitting back home at my local bar, being served my favorite beer by my favorite bartender, Cornelis at Vader Kleinjan café, I try to write about some of the topics I encountered while being in Canada.
The main one is the William Nylander Conundrum.
I, for one, am sick of the whole William Nylander saga. Just dead on tired of it, honestly. I know too much has already been written about it, but as I said, I want to write about topics I encountered while being in Toronto. The William Nylander saga is one that was unavoidable to write about, unfortunately.
The William Nylander Sitution
Fellow writer and Editor James Tanner is one of the few people who agrees with me on the Nylander situation, just pay him already. We all know William Nylander is worth keeping, so just pay the kid was he is worth. Offer Nylander a 7-year contract averaging 7 million per year and there’s no doubt he’ll sign. The kid is worth the money, so just sign him already!
But that is not the reason William Nylander won’t sign. The simple reason he won’t sign is that he’s in a move first position. While Nylander is in need of a contract right now, fellow young guns Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews are not. While they can wait till next summer signing their next deals, Nylander can not.
And that, just that, is the whole problem surrounding Nylander. Whatever contract he signs now with the Toronto Maple Leafs determines his position within the franchise in the future. Should he sign for a long-term contract averaging 6 million per year, he’s trade bait for Dubas in the future should he decide to trade for reinforcements on another position, carrying probably the most tradeable contract among elite forwards.
So how can Dubas break this impasse? Simple, the solution here is fan-favorite Mitch Marner.
How Mitch Marner Factors
Just because it’s taking so long, a lot of people I encountered in Toronto want or think William Nylander traded away already. I for one think that is plain harsh and unfair, William Nylander has all the right reasons to not sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs just yet. I dare to take it a step further, Mitch Marner is the solution to the William Nylander contract.
Be honest, do you really think Nylander hasn’t signed yet just because the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t offered 8 million per year? No, that’s not the reason Nylander hasn’t signed yet.
Put Nylander, Matthews, and Marner in a room with Dubas and they will all punch it all out right there. The problem, however, Mitch Marner is allegedly unwilling to talk contract terms until the end of the season.
Imagine being Nylander: you don’t want to sign a contract long-term only to see Marner get 2 million more per year. It’s arguable who’s the better player of the two, let alone being the difference two million per year. You’re not willing to sign anything before you know what Marner is going to get.
Nylander and Marner both know Matthews is going to get a bigger piece of the pie, for Nylander it is probably just about getting an equal piece of the pie. The signing of anything less means he is most likely to get traded in the future.
Conclusion
Put the three stars in a room with Dubas and it’ll get all sorted out. Nylander should remain a Toronto Maple Leafs.
Mitch Marner can be the solution in the whole sage by being open to talking contract terms. Providing the franchise and himself a better chance to win the Stanley Cup in the future.
These are my thoughts, thanks for reading and please let me know what you think!