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Can Recent Trend Help Keep Zach Hyman with Toronto Maple Leafs?

By Jeremy Ridgewell

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 7: Zach Hyman #11 of the Toronto Maple Leafs turns with the puck against the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on April 7, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canadiens 3-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 7: Zach Hyman #11 of the Toronto Maple Leafs turns with the puck against the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on April 7, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canadiens 3-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Can the Toronto Maple Leafs use a version of the Ryan Nugent Hopkins contract to retain Zach Hyman?

Some believe that Hyman is looking for a new deal worth $5 million per season or higher. It is also believed that Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas doesn’t want to go higher than $4 million.

Can the two sides find a way to meet in the middle? Will Hyman be willing to take less money for more term to stay in Toronto? Is that what Dubas and the Toronto Maple Leafs are hoping for.

Recently we have seen Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins go from $6 million a season down to $5.1 million a season, because the Oilers gave him an eight-year term. We have also seen Toronto forward Wayne Simmonds go from $1.5 million a season to $900,000 a season The main reason for that was because Toronto offered Simmonds two years instead of just one.
(Cap information from capfriendly.com)

Can The Toronto Maple Leafs Add Enough Term To Keep Hyman?

If Dubas and the Leafs have any chance of keeping Hyman in Toronto for under $5 million, it will have to be on a long-term deal. They will likely need to go beyond a four-year term to get the salary to dip below $5 million.

For every year beyond the fourth year, the team could try to shave off $500,000 from the salary cap hit. So a five-year deal could cost Toronto $4.5 million, but a seven-year deal could be had for $3.5 million.

The best scenario for having Hyman stay in Toronto will be a six-year deal worth $24 million. That works out to be $4 million against the salary cap per season.

Hyman is currently 29 years old, so by the end of a six-year deal, he will be 35. With his history of injury problems, would Toronto want to be paying $4 million a season to a 34 or 35-year-old whose production will have likely declined by then? The answer is probably no, but they could also trade him before that point.

Should The Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Hyman Long-Term For Short-Term Gain?

If Dubas truly believes that Hyman is the best option, then I think he will sign Hyman to a long-term deal for a cap hit that makes sense for them.

Next. A List of Free Agent Targets for the Leafs. dark

They can get the most out of Hyman for the first three or four years of the deal and then trade him if needed. His work ethic and style of play will be missed on Toronto’s roster if he signs elsewhere.

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