Dreger provides an update on Nylander negotiations in the final 2 hours.

We are now down to the  final 2 hours, and perhaps even the final hour for many of you who will be reading this and there remains no contract in place between William Nylander and the Toronto Maple Leafs and it appears as if we are headed right down to the wire with this one. 

If you ask around the league everyone who was once certain that Nylander would sign and everyone who was once certain he would be traded are all now anticipating the decision because honestly nobody knows where this one is going. The game of chicken between the Maple Leafs most important restricted free agent of the summer and general manager Kyle Dubas has come right down to the final seconds and neither side is showing any signs of blinking even at this late stage of the game. 

During today's TSN broadcast of the afternoon match up between the San Jose Sharks and the Ottawa Senators, TSN National Hockey League insider Darren Dreger was asked about the latest developments on the Nylander negotiations and surprisingly he did actually have one relatively minor update to share. When asked what Nylander's game plan was at this stage Dreger made it clear that he believes Nylander is "deadline hunting" but also added a detail that may indicate Nylander was wise to do so.

"The belief is that the Toronto Maple Leafs have made another offer, now is it their final offer? Well I suppose they have some time inside 2 hours to make another one," said Dreger. "Perhaps they are getting upwards of $6.9 million."

So it sounds like the Maple Leafs may have increased their offer to Nylander in the final hour, the biggest question of course remains. Will it be enough to get Nylander to sign on the dotted line? Well although nothing is definitive as of yet it sounds like there may still be some hope here for Leaf fans.

"Our understand is that William Nylander and his family are at least considering what this latest option might be. Do they have enough time to go back to the Toronto Maple Leafs and say 'Well you're getting close but you're not quite there'? Our understand is that the Leafs are waiting for a response."

Time is running out one way or the other.