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Toronto Maple Leafs: Contract Extension for Hyman Should be a Priority

By Joseph Zita |
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 13: Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Zach Hyman (11) gets ready to lay a hit on someone. During Game 2 in the First round of the Stanley Cup playoffs featuring the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Boston Bruins on April 13, 2019 at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 13: Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Zach Hyman (11) gets ready to lay a hit on someone. During Game 2 in the First round of the Stanley Cup playoffs featuring the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Boston Bruins on April 13, 2019 at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a couple of important players up for new contracts in the next couple years, including Zach Hyman.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a couple of important players up for a contract extension in the next year or two and they need to lock them up.

Zach Hyman is one of those players as he is set to become a UFA at the end of the 2020-21 season and the team needs to make him their number one priority as soon as possible.

Question is, how much could Zach Hyman’s new contract be? How much term could it be as well?

Zach Hyman’s Contract

Zach Hyman is currently on an amazing contract for what he brings to this Toronto Maple Leafs team which was signed back before the start of 2017-18 season.

$2.25M x 4 years (signed on July 5, 2017)

Last two years of contract have a NTC (no trade clause) the player submits a ten team no trade list. (Stats from CapFriendly.com).

Zach Hyman has progressed every year in the NHL, improving his goals every year and points as well.

Although he tied his goals with 21 from last year and only had 37 points this year and last year he had 41 he was still on pace for an amazing season for missing 19 games. (Stats from NHL.com).

On pace to finish season with… 63 GP – 26 G – 19 A – 45 PTS

On pace to finish the season on an 82 game pace with… 82 GP – 34 G – 25 A – 59 PTS

What Could a new Hyman Contract Look Like?

Well for starters we all know Zach Hyman is on an amazing contract right now signed through the 2020-21 season which is paying him $2.25M AAV and that is a bargain for what he brings to this Toronto Maple Leafs team.

With Hyman being a 20 goal scorer for the past two seasons and putting up 40 points twice in the last three years with him on pace to finish this season with 40 plus points, he deserves a contract worth more than $2.25M for sure.

Question is, how much more than $2.25M are we talking about? We obviously don’t want too much money given to Zach Hyman even though he is an excellent player I don’t think he should get anything more than $4M a year.

Zach Hyman even told the media he wants to be on the Toronto Maple Leafs for a long time, so I think a new Hyman contract could/should look like this…

$3.25M -$3.5M x 5 years (signed through the 2025-26 season).

 With Hyman’s birthday in June he will be 28 years old by the start of the last season on his current deal, by the start of his new contract he will be 29, and by the end of the contract I give him he will be 33 years old.

I think that a $1-1.25M raise to Zach Hyman is reasonable and fair, he doesn’t get a significant raise but he still makes at least $3M AAV.

If the Leafs are going to sign Hyman, they’ll have to make room on the roster.  The Leafs have a great team and that means making difficult cap decisions.

All we know for sure is that Hyman has to stay.

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