Matthews extension complicates Nylander’s status with Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander. Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Auston Matthews extension complicates William Nylander’s status with Maple Leafs

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 8/23/23

Despite his expressed desire to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the four-year, $53M contract extension signed by teammate Auston Matthews on Wednesday makes the prospect of a long-term extension for William Nylander exponentially more difficult.

Toronto is $13.25M over the salary cap for 2023, per CapFriendly, and with Nylander reportedly seeking $10M per year with his next contract, there’s just no reasonable path a deal getting done with Matthews ($13.25M), Mitch Marner ($11M) and John Tavares ($10.9M) all making north of $10M annually.

Nylander, who’s scheduled to make $6.96M in the last year of his contract in 2023, has repeatedly said he’s in a rush to get a new contract signed. However, the cap-strapped Leafs could look to trade the 27-year-old winger, who’s coming off a career year in which he scored a team-high 40 goals and 87 points, to maximize its return and make a dent in its salary cap overage.

“[My agent and the Leafs] had been talking, but I don't think there's been much going on about that,” Nylander said, via NHL.com. “But I'm just focused on getting ready for the season and having my best season yet in order to help us take the next step.”

to what his contract demands are, now that Matthews is the highest-paid player in the league. Toronto can keep him and let him walk as a UFA and gain about $7 million on the cap, or sign him to an extension and trade him next summer, but they will not get what he is worth since
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) August 23, 2023

other clubs will know Treliving is up against the cap. The likeliest scenario is Nylander being traded before the start of training camp or possibly at the trade deadline. #Leafs
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) August 23, 2023

If Toronto does decide to cut ties with Nylander, it would presumably like to move him before the season starts as opposed to hoping he signs a team-friendly deal in the offseason. The Calgary Flames got burned by Johnny Gaudreau with that line of thinking last year.

Nylander does have a 10-team no-trade list that kicked in on July 1, which doesn’t necessarily complicate matters to much, it just cuts the potential pool of suitors by one-third.

The Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues could all be in on Nylander if Toronto is open for business.

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