Friedman believes there is a secret plan behind the Leafs’ meeting with Nylander

We are pretty sure many Toronto Maple Leafs got excited on Wednesday when it was revealed that there were developments in the William Nylander contract dispute. 

The Maple Leafs efforts to sign Nylander appear to have taken a positive step forward when general manager Kyle Dubas flew to Europe this week to meet with the forward’s representatives. However, lots of work remains to be done and NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun believes the two sides have not yet exchanged contract numbers. 

The two sides remain far apart on the dollars for a long-term deal, with the Nylander camp asking for something in the $8-million range while the Leafs prefer $6 million. The Maple Leafs are facing quite the financial puzzle as cap concerns remain an issue when we look at other free agents who needs to sign a contract extension in the coming summer. It does not seem like the 22-year-old is willing to accept a hometown discount, wanting to get what he deserves on the market. 

The Athletic’s James Mirtle believes the solution is quite clear: the team insider reports sources saying the Nylander impasse appears headed for a bridge-deal solution. But if both parties aren’t talking numbers at the moment, what could it mean? 

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, who explained his position in his latest 31 Thoughts on Sportsnet, there might be a plan behind the meeting. One that Maple Leafs fans are not going to enjoy…  Here is how Friedman sees it: 

The Toronto Sun’s Lance Hornby broke the news that Dubas was en route to Switzerland for a face-to-face with  William Nylander . The Leafs have discussed a bridge with their unsigned winger, but there remained a chasm. It’s somewhere between $4.8 million (a little more than  Nikita Kucherov ’s second contract) and $6 million ( Artemi Panarin ’s AAV). Nylander’s also worried about being traded if the Leafs’ cap situation becomes untenable. Keeping him is Toronto’s main goal. Dubas’s trip allows for two things: showing Nylander a) he’s serious and b) no one can say that Toronto didn’t try everything to get this done.

Sure. The Leafs might be showing how serious they are, but what if, as Friedman points out, Dubas is only doing it so that fans can believe he did everything he could… To make them swallow a trade better. 

Scouts from four different teams were present last night in Toronto for the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. There could be something brewing… 

Who knows? But isn’t it just a little worrisome? 

The key date here is Dec. 1, which is the deadline for NHL teams to sign their restricted free agents. Anyone still unsigned by then is no longer eligible to play in the current season.