Decision day: Leafs holding out hope for Nylander signing today
Toronto head coach Mike Babcock remains confident that William Nylander and the Maple Leafs have a future together.
Whether or not that’s actually the case will become clear before the team takes the ice tonight.
Babcock has repeatedly used the word “when” and not “if” while discussing the restricted free agent’s potential return throughout a contract impasse that has dragged 26 games into the regular season.
And with the clock continuing to tick towards today’s 2 p.m. PT deadline to get Nylander signed so he’s eligible to play in the NHL in 2018-19, Babcock isn’t changing his tune.
“There’s lots of opinion out there,” Babcock said after Thursday’s practice. “Let’s not confuse opinion and facts. We think Willy’s going to be here, and we think Willy’s going to be here for a long time. We think he’s going to be a career Leaf.
“That’s what we think . . . . That’s what we believe.”
There are three possibilities for the Leafs and Nylander — a slick forward capable of lining up at centre or on the wing.
The two sides can agree on a new deal (either short- or long-term), Toronto can trade his rights to another team, or the nuclear option of the player sitting out the entire year.
Mike Peca was the last NHLer to do that as a restricted free agent when he couldn’t come to terms with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2000-01 season, but there was no Dec. 1 deadline hanging over his head.
Peca was eventually dealt to the New York Islanders, and it would be hard to envision a scenario where Nylander, 22, sits that long and then signs a new deal with Toronto.
“I’ve talked to him a couple times,” Leafs centre Auston Matthews said ahead of tonight’s road game against the Minnesota Wild. “I can imagine what he’s going through. You know he wants to be here, he wants to play hockey. That’s the main thing.”
“Everyone wants him here,” added Mitch Marner. “When he does get back here, it’s going make us even deadlier.”