Nylander sings a massive extension to stay in Toronto. What does it mean for the Red Wings and the rest of the Atlantic Division?
There are few topics that seem to command the hockey world's attention quite like the contract status of the Toronto Maple Leafs' stars. This morning, there was actually news to justify this fixation, as William Nylander signed an eight-year, $92 million extension to remain in Toronto through the 2032-33 season, at which point he will be 36 years old.
At a cap hit of $11.5 million per year (not far from doubling his present $6.96 figure against the cap), it's a monster of an extension, and thanks to the eight-year term, it is also the highest value contract ever signed by a Maple Leaf.
Nylander—who has 21 goals and 33 assists in 37 games to date this year—is in the midst of what is tracking to be the most prolific season of his career, so he's certainly cashed in at the right time.
From a Maple Leafs perspective, Nylander's transition from a team-friendly deal to a contract befitting his superstar status only intensifies the defining problem of the current era of Toronto hockey: finding appropriate and effective depth pieces to supplement an extravagantly expensive core.
Over the summer, with Leaf-land reeling from another playoff flame out, it seemed the wind might be blowing toward the end of Nylander's time in Toronto, with new GM Brad Treliving perhaps looking to put his own stamp on the roster he inherited from Kyle Dubas.
At that time, should an exit be in order, Nylander looked like an intriguing option for the Red Wings, a player who could raise the team's offensive ceiling and help compensate for a lack of lottery luck.
Now, that option is off the table, and it's become clear that, at least for the next several years, Toronto will keep all of its chips pushed to the middle of the table in a bid for Atlantic supremacy and a terribly elusive Stanley Cup banner. Should Nylander have exited, there was perhaps a world in which the Leafs endured a mini rebuild of sorts, but now it seems that won't be the case any time soon.
Meanwhile, from a Detroit perspective, the Red Wings have significant contract business to attend to of their own in the coming months, with both Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider due for significant upgrades on their entry-level deals. The good news for Steve Yzerman and the Detroit front office is that neither player is a reasonable peer for Nylander when it comes to their next contract, so Nylander's massive raise should have little to no bearing on their negotiations.
Also from THN Detroit
Red Wings 3, Ducks 2: Detroit Grabs Late Win to Complete Perfect California Trip
Sandin Pellikka Played Hurt at WJC, Set to Miss Extended Time
Film Study: Kane, Raymond Prove the Value of Shootout Width in Red Wings' Win Over LA
Cossa Bests Wallstedt as Griffins Cruise Past Iowa Wild
Augustine Backstops Team USA to World Junior Gold
Alex DeBrincat Selected to All-Star Game, Will Represent Red Wings in Toronto