Toronto Maple Leafs Could Afford Nylander Next Year, But What About 2025?

Adam Proteau says the Toronto Maple Leafs could make room for William Nylander, but the real challenge comes in 2025 when Tavares and Marner's contracts expire.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a major free agent to deal with in William Nylander, but Adam Proteau believes the Buds can squeeze in Nylander under the salary cap for next season at least.

As the middle of the 2023-24 NHL regular season nears, there’s been increased talk of the contract status of Toronto Maple Leafs star winger William Nylander.

With 31 assists and 50 points in 35 games, Nylander has drastically raised his value for a new contract extension, putting himself in the $11- to $12-million range beginning next season.

That’s caused a bit of alarm among some Leafs fans and media, who worry that Nylander has priced himself out of Toronto’s budget. But take a closer look, and you can see how the Buds can re-sign Nylander and still fit under the salary cap.

As per PuckPedia, the Leafs are projected to have $28.5 million in cap space, with 13 players under contract.

That sounds like Toronto is in dire straits when it comes to filling out the roster after Nylander signs for, let’s say, $11.5 million. But look at it this way: the cap ceiling will likely rise to $87.5 million – $4 million more than the cap ceiling this season. Let’s then say that $4 million can go directly to pay Nylander more than his current $6.9 million salary. That leaves about $600,000 more that’s needed to cover Nylander’s 2024-25 salary. And that brings us to our next point: Toronto’s other UFAs.

Specifically, we’re looking at veteran defenseman T.J. Brodie. He’s going to be a UFA in the summer, and his current salary of $5 million per year is probably too costly for the Leafs moving forward. At 33 years old, he’s starting to lose important parts of his game, and it would be wise for Leafs GM Brad Treliving to bargain downward with Brodie and use the money he saves – it should be at least $1 million – to cover Nylander’s raise.

The real trick with a long-term Nylander extension would come not next season but two seasons from now, when star forwards John Tavares and Mitch Marner become UFAs. There’s going to be a cap crunch that season.

While Marner likely will get a small raise, Tavares will feel pressure to sign the type of low-dollar, high-value deal that Boston star centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci signed in recent years. Those contracts allowed the Bruins to make their roster deeper with above-average talent.

Tavares has made a ton of money in his lengthy NHL career, and it would be very smart, image-wise, for the 33-year-old to sign a two- or three-year deal with a pay cut of at least $3 million to $5 million. But that’s up to Tavares and his agent.

In any case, Nylander’s looming new deal is going to be quite costly, but he’s shown he is worth it. He still may have more ceiling in his overall game, and the Leafs can’t let him get away via free agency now. Both parties are tied together, and the challenge of fitting him under the cap can be achieved.

There may be more league-minimum players under contract for the Buds starting next year, but keeping the Core Four intact is very doable, at least through next season. They’re the engine in Toronto, and Treliving can not afford to lose a key engine component.