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Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Possible William Nylander Trade Destinations

By Stephen Nixon

May 12, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (88) celebrates after scoring against the Florida Panthers in the third period in game five of the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
May 12, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (88) celebrates after scoring against the Florida Panthers in the third period in game five of the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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It feels like only a matter of time before the Toronto Maple Leafs trade William Nylander.

Over the past decade, there hasn’t been a more polarizing player on the Toronto Maple Leafs than Nylander.

He was the poster-child for the rebuild prior to Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews getting drafted and then was hated by almost all the Leafs worst fans when he negotiated his last contract.

He continued to see the hate based on his ability to float in crucial moments, but now that he’s a 40-goal scorer, there seems to be some more love for him.

He currently has one year left on his contract, which is worth a little less than $7M AAV, so all of sudden, he has one of the best contracts in the league. In truth, he has had one of the best contracts in hockey since he signed this deal.  However, that’s going to change very soon, as the Leafs have the ability to re-sign Nylander as early as July 1st.

With Matthews and Marner also due an extension soon, the Leafs have a big question to ask themselves. Would they better off saving money on Nylander and putting him ahead of Matthews or Marner on the to-do list, or do they trade the asset while its value is the highest?

There are going to be dozens of teams lining up for Nylander’s services if the Leafs make him available, because not only will he be someone who can help your team down the road, but his currently contract provides incredible value.

Toronto’s been known to keep their assets until the contract expires, but there’s a new man in charge now. Brad Treliving may play this game differently and want to trade Nylander, knowing he can’t afford to sign him next year, which would be the smart move if Nylander is asking for too much or is planning on walking anyway.

As a result, here are three trade destinations for Nylander if he’s not planning on re-signing with the Leafs.

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