Auston Matthews decides William Nylander's Maple Leafs fate
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
If Auston Matthews wants out of Toronto, then William Nylander isn't far behind as there's no way John Chayka is going to keep him at $11.5-million.
There's a ton of discussion recently over the status of Auston Matthews with the Toronto Maple Leafs and whether or not GM John Chayka and company are going to be able to give him everything he needs to succeed.
The two have yet to meet for their scheduled meeting and with questions around the Craig Berube firing not to mention a focus on how the Maple Leafs are going to actually take action when it comes to fixing the roster.
There's a lot of work to be done, and each day without a move is one closer to Matthews leaving.
If it does end up coming down to a decision where the captain is wanting out, that's going to cause a firestorm of teams looking to add the former 69-goal scorer, and it would be a genuinely franchise-altering decision that would transform Toronto from the ground up.
Though he might not be the only superstar out the door according to TSN's Bryan Hayes.
Nylander at $11.5-million dollars a year only makes sense on a Cup contender and Matthews walking out ends that math instantly
Hayes was co-hosting Overdrive when he brought up the fact that if Matthews does skip town for greener pastures if Nylander isn't going to be too far behind:
If Matthews is still here he'll be King of the County. He'll be king for three years. Willy? I don't see a future where Matthews is gone and Willy stays. I don't know how that works, from his standpoint or the organization's standpoint.
Nylander is kind of a guy who gets less attention from a marketing standpoint than Matthews but is no less important. But he's only ever played with Matthews, Mitch Marner and John Tavares and with Mitch Marner gone, Matthews on the fence and Tavares on limited time - where does he fit?
Is he going to still be elite at 32-33 when the team's young guys are really starting to be comfortable in the league like Nylander? He makes so much money that could be used to set the team up for the next decade.
There's also issues with his effort levels at times, so does the team want to commit $11.5-million for the next six years to a guy who only plays half the ice, has none of his friends left, and still hasn't found success? That's 13% of the cap on his deal alone and that money can be better used spread out.
If Marner wins a Stanley Cup this year; that's just the icing on the cake.
If Matthews leaves, then it's likely that the team is going to build around Easton Cowan, Gavin McKenna (or whoever drafted), and Ben Danford. Where Nylander fits in with the group is unknown because unlike Tavares; he isn't exactly the guy looked at for player mentorship.
Chayka will not wait to trade Nylander if Matthews leaves and that timeline is the part nobody is preparing Leafs fans for
Even Matthew Knies will still only be in his mid-20s when Matthews' contract is up, and the team is starting to finally realize that the youth movement is where it's at. If Matthews leaves in 2028, he'll be 31 in September, and if Nylander leaves at the same time he'll be 32.
For Chayka and the youth movement that's a bit too old for a rebuilding team especially with a 21-year old Cowan and 19-year old McKenna. Knowing that teams will fight over each other for a chance to acquire Nylander - it could bring a hefty package.
But let's be honest, we only have a couple of years left with Matthews and Nylander together because we still have this entire season to go through on top of the fact that we don't know the type of player Matthews is going to be after his MCL tear.
Chayka will no doubt jump on the fact that he can acquire a king's ransom for Nylander and could even double dip if he does indeed end up dealing Matthews elsewhere. That's a hard offer to pass up, especially when you know you have a generational talent to build around now; you have time.
Toronto could go from a team with mid 30s stars who are debating on staying to one with one of the best young roster in the entire league. For a guy like John Chayka who wants to leave a legacy with the Maple Leafs - it feels like it's a done deal already and we're just waiting out the clock.
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