Three elite assets that define a realistic William Nylander blockbuster trade
Photo credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
William Nylander is a 40-goal superstar in his prime and trading him will cost a team dearly, so here is exactly what Toronto needs back or the deal does not get done.
With changes coming for the Maple Leafs, attention has turned to what the team can do to really shake things up and a William Nylander deal would certainly do the trick.
There's been questions about his leadership qualities after his inaction towards Radko Gudas who just took out his captain, and while his offensive game is superb, he often lags behind, doesn't finish shifts hard and sometimes forgets to hustle.
So trading him would certainly leave a hole offensively, but right now Toronto needs to add some serious toughness to the roster, and they have to make sure they do so properly.
A Nylander deal is a bonafide blockbuster, and with that being the case then the Maple Leafs have the chance to add what they really need.
A top defensive-pairing anchor with Stanley Cup pedigree is non-negotiable
If Toronto is unable to trade Morgan Rielly (and hopefully they can), then he needs someone who actually can cover for him defensively. Not Brandon Carlo or a rotating cast of depth players but a true solid #1 shutdown guy.
There's potentially two options that could suffice. If Toronto still wants to stick with a veteran #1 they could look to St. Louis for Colton Parayko. Not only a much better defender than Rielly, but he's got a booming shot, loves to get in the dirty areas and will actually stick up for teammates physically.
He vetoed a trade to Buffalo so it's unknown where his heart lies, but for $6.5-million he adds a lot of value on a decent contract, plus you're adding an Olympian and Stanley Cup winner.
Parayko has struggled this year but the 31-year old has 309 points in 784 games with a plus-55, 1,533 blocks, and 1.018 hits while averaging 22:29 TOI.
A younger option would be choosing Braden Schneider from the New York Rangers. The 24-year old has 84 points in 352 games while already adding 568 blocks and 658 hits in 17:06. He loves to get physical and is a big body at 6foot-3, 206 pounds.
Plus, he's a restricted free agent expecting a big deal, and if the Maple Leafs suddenly have a lot of money for an extension - he could be the cornerstone alongside Ben Danford for years to come.
A 2027 first-round pick is mandatory in order to fix Toronto's draft capital disaster
Getting a pick for Nicolas Roy was a godsend for the Maple Leafs but it's not enough. If Nylander is gone then at least one 2027 first-round pick is going back in addition to potentially more picks in general.
This is a superstar elite talent in his prime, so if you want him you're going to pay. Going back to the Schneider potential, the Rangers are retooling but also hold two 2026 first-rounders and a 2027 one as well. Adding Nylander instantly bypasses the need to develop a superstar and gives them a foundational piece right away.
If the Rangers were to give a 2027 first and two 2026 thirds in a package, that would transform Toronto's draft chances. It gives them two 2027 firsts and a whopping four third-rounders which is great fodder for another big deal.
Losing Nylander for the future is going to sting for the short-term, but there's also a way to ease the pain a little bit too.
A blue-chip power forward prospect is the secret to resetting Toronto's identity
We're looking for Matthew Knies 2.0 here, and that's where Will Cuylle steps into the picture. A beast of a player, Cuylle is a player capable of giving you 20 goals and 250+ hits. That's an insane level of physicality and offensive talent that's rarely seen.
While he's not a 'prospect' so to speak, he is only 24-years old and is slightly older than Knies. What's great too is that he costs only $3.9-million for one more season after this and is a restricted free agent. He's getting a huge raise, and Toronto can afford it.
Oh, Cuylle was born and raised in Toronto as well so adding a franchise player who grew up in the city is a wonderful story and adds another name to a growing list of players who jump ship for a chance to play for their childhood team like John Tavares and Steven Lorentz.
While you lose out on Nylander's 40+ goal potential, you add someone who still scores goals, is a freak physically on the ice, is cheaper and younger which allows you to add...what's not to love?
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Previously on Hockey Patrol
| POLL | ||
MARS 16|836 ANSWERS Three elite assets that define a realistic William Nylander blockbuster trade Should the Maple Leafs think about trading William Nylander? | ||
| Yes | 462 | 55.3 % |
| No | 374 | 44.7 % |
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