Western team puts together perfect trade package for Nylander

One bomb after the other in this ongoing saga!

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 5 years ago
Western team puts together perfect trade package for Nylander
Zuma Press


Mike Chambers of the Denver Post sure made headlines on Wednesday when he came out with his spin on the whole William Nylander saga, claiming that the free agent forward's time with the Toronto Maple Leafs appeared to be over. In his latest column for The Denver Post, Chambers made some extremely strong worded assertions about Nylander and the contract dispute taking place in Toronto - or even Switzerland for that matter - and seems to be sharing what appears to be one very tempting trade package in return for the young forward's services. 

Chambers attempts to connect the dots on a trade between the Leafs and Colorado Avalanche on a potential deal involving the Swedish sniper. There is a few obstacles in the way, no doubt, but work could be done to pull the trigger on what would be quite a major move for both franchises. While the Colorado Avalanche has the salary-cap space to acquire Nylander if the Leafs decide to move him, Chambers doesn’t see them landing him unless they have the balls to put together one perfect trade package to seal the deal. 

"Unless Colorado considers trading 2017 No. 1 draft pick Cale Makar, the sophomore defenseman at the University of Massachusetts, Nylander won’t be that guy. The Avs aren’t likely to trade either of their top two young defensemen in Makar, 19, and second-year Sam Girard, 20.”

Would Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic have the guts to remodel his entire team's future on the young forward still giving the Leafs a hard time with the current contract dispute? Would it be wise of Sakic to make that risky of a move? 

One thing is clear to Chambers, and many Leafs fans out there: the financial puzzle in Toronto appears to be too great for the Maple Leafs to keep the services of Nylander. And will other star players like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner expected large contract extensions and even bigger pay raises, it seems almost impossible, if the Leafs want to fix their back end, to make the puzzle and dollar signs work. 

"Matthews will soon get extended and make Connor McDavid money — league-high $12.5 million cap hit — and Toronto already has high-priced forwards in veterans John Tavares ($11 million cap hit) and Patrick Marleau ($6.25 million).

Nylander’s three-year career in Toronto appears over, because of his salary demands and the fact the Leafs need to bolster their blue line.

Nylander, the eighth selection in the 2014 draft, likely will be traded by Dec. 1, the deadline for him to sign with an NHL team and play this season. The standoff will end, and all signs point towards a trade to a team in need of a top-six right winger with salary cap space to work with."

The truth is, even if the Avalanche is interested in the impressive scoring talents of Nylander - we mean come on who wouldn't be - and its need for a scoring boost on the wing - Sakic might not be willing to make this crazy of a move for his franchise. They prefer to focus on their own concerns with resigning pending restricted free agent Mikko Rantanen. 

Source: Denver Post