NHL Trade Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs to choose either William Nylander or $65,418,000 winger for contract extension

The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves at a crossroads as they navigate the intricate landscape of NHL contracts and player negotiations. With star wingers William Nylander and Mitch Marner each commanding significant salaries, the team faces a challenging decision that could shape its future.

Mitch Marner, who inked a six-year, $65,408,000 deal with the Leafs in September 2019, has proven himself as a vital playmaker on the team. However, rumors suggest that Toronto might have to choose between Marner and Nylander.

In a Sportsnet discussion featuring Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne, and Sam McKee, attention was drawn to Nylander's contract situation. The involvement of agent Lewis Gross added a layer of complexity, hinting that Nylander might be considering exploring unrestricted free agency (UFA).

Sam McKee said:

"Well the thing that stuck out to me about this piece and it’s like this seeing it laid out in front of me, was the Lewis Gross aspect of this ... maybe they just want to go to UFA."

The conversation highlighted the potential risks for the Toronto Maple Leafs if they were to lose Nylander, emphasizing the impact on negotiations with Marner. The fear of losing both elite wingers looms large, putting Toronto in a precarious position as it navigates the salary cap landscape.

Insider Justin Bourne said:

“Well sure. And you know the scary part, you know again mentioned in this piece is just that if you lose Willy Nylander, like let’s say you’re like okay, we value the cap space or we were going to trade him at the deadline, or whatever, if you don’t have Willy Kneeland on your roster, and then it’s Mitch Marner’s turn for negotiation. you’re screwed, because you can’t lose them both."

He added:

"So all of a sudden, you know, Mitch has you up against a wall at that point where you’re saying we gotta keep one of our elite wingers, our game breakers, our guy who plays the most minutes, you know, and so that changes things were...”

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Toronto Maple Leafs's confusion and trying to avoid a Johnny Gaudreau-like situation

As the Toronto Maple Leafs grapple with this decision, the question of whether they would consider trading Nylander in March has emerged. The cautionary tale of the Calgary Flames and Johnny Gaudreau's situation serves as a backdrop, emphasizing the need for Toronto to make strategic decisions to avoid a similar outcome.

NHL insider Justin Bourne said:

"Treliving has made it clear he doesn’t want to do the (Johnny) Gaudreau thing again where he just gets, I can’t do anything and the guy just leaves.”