Babcock optimistic Nylander will sign

Toronto head coach Mike Babcock remains confident William Nylander and the Maple Leafs have a future together.

Whether that’s actually the case will become clear before the team takes the ice Saturday.

Babcock has repeatedly used the word “when” and not “if ” — sometimes without prompting — 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 toward Saturday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline to get Nylander signed so he’s eligible to play in the National Hockey League in 2018-19, Babcock isn’t changing his tune. “There’s lots of opinion out there,” he 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, and we think he’s going to be a career Leaf.”

There are three possibilities for the Leafs and Nylander as the situation approaches its tipping point — the two sides agree on a new deal (either short- or longterm), Toronto trades his rights to another team or the nuclear option of the player sitting out the entire year.

There were reports earlier in negotiations that Nylander’s camp was asking for $8 million per season on a long-term pact. Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas was believed to have countered with an offer of about US$6 million annually, but the number now reportedly lies somewhere in the $6.9-million range.