Did Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Take Aim at William Nylander When Discussing Auston Matthews' Signing?
William Nylander, similar to Auston Matthews, is eligible for a contract extension with the Maple Leafs.
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving has often said he doesn't like to comment on contract negotiations before they get done, but did he do so guilefully on Friday during his media availability?
William Nylander is the next player up when it comes to contract negotiations for Treliving. And although both sides have been going back and forth, trying to get a deal done, there doesn't seem to be any progress.
Earlier this summer, TSN's Chris Johnston revealed that the 27-year-old's camp was looking for a nearly $10 million AAV while Toronto was hoping for something lower.
"I would be stunned if we saw Toronto sign him to a contract that takes him into that realm," Johnston said on The Chris Johnston Show in July.
Treliving was asked on Friday about the negotiations and he continued his status-quo approach, not commenting publicly on any contract negotiations.
"As I said before, I'm not going to comment on contracts until they're done," Treliving stated on Friday.
"We've got one done, and now we'll continue to work at William's (contract)."
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Later in his media availability, though, the Maple Leafs GM said something that caught the ear of many, including myself. Treliving was asked what it meant to the organization to see Matthews prioritize getting this contract done before training camp opens up.
The way Toronto's GM phrased the answer seemed — at least to me — that it could be a subtle jab at Nylander's camp.
"This got done because Auston decided he wanted to get it done. I mean, that's the reality," Treliving said."I want to applaud Judd's (Moldaver) work in this. We spent a lot of time going at it since I've gotten here.
"But it gets done because Auston says, 'I want to get it done, I want it to be a non-issue, I want the focus to be where it needs to be and that's on winning and putting all of our energies on the ice,' and that's why it's done.
"At the end of the day, he made that decision, and to me, it's a sign of leadership. We can all want certain things, but until the player says we want to get it done, that's why it gets done."
When I hear and read this quote, there are two sides of me that think differently. One side says this was just Treliving describing Matthews' leadership to want to get a contract done.
The other part of me says that while it was a compliment to Matthews, there was a subtle jab, implying that if Nylander really wanted to get a deal done with Toronto, he could've done so already.
With the Maple Leafs GM saying he doesn't comment publicly on negotiations, I'm led to believe this wasn't a jab at all but more a message to fans in Toronto saying that Matthews wants to be a Maple Leaf and he did everything he could to stay.
However, you never know.
Treliving has had big players in the past, like Johnny Gaudreau in Calgary, not sign and leave the team during free agency. Could this be a tactic that the new Maple Leafs GM is using to try and persuade Nylander to get a deal done?
It's worth noting that both sides have taken the approach of there being time and Nylander having a year left on his contract.
Treliving said it on Friday, and the 27-year-old said it during an interview with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek earlier this week in Sweden.
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But as the clock ticks, one side needs to make a decision. If Nylander wants to stay in Toronto, getting a deal done should be a priority like it was for Matthews.
The closer we get to the beginning of the season, the more the negotiation questions get asked. And once we get into the season, it's a whole different beast when it comes to those contract discussions.
Treliving won't want Deja Vu all over again in Toronto. And if all Nylander wants is to be a Maple Leaf, there should be a deal done before the season begins in October.
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