Quoting: yu254614
We as Leafs fans watched Nylander for 2+ years now (at NHL), I am not so sure if he deserves 5M+ yr up to this point of his career.
Yes he may have stats for it to argue that he is worth 5M+ but...
For last 2 yrs, he has mostly played beside Matthews and yes he has been good at time but not as consistently.
Especially when he is taken out of Matthews line (at a time when Matthews was injured) I really do not think he has the poise to drive a line.
By comparison, Marner who played mostly with Bozak, JVR in his 1st yr and half of last yr, really came along after put into Kadri line which they had tougher assignments and match ups and also had to be more DEF conscious.
I see Marner getting over 7-8M for 8 yrs and Matthews getting close to 9-10M for 8 yrs but Nylander at 7-8M as people suggest? Hell no.
If I am a GM, I will bargain hard to sign him at around 5M max for long term, for 2-3 yr bridge deal maybe 4-5M range.
If he wants more than that, I will really try hard to trade him to get RD and prospect.
If Leafs do not have substitutes at Wing then maybe forced to sign him to lucrative deal but with Brown, Kapanen, Johnson, Grundstrom, I rather trade him then to sign him to what I think is overpaid contract.
Maybe make a deal to get M.Dumba, J. Trouba and pay them 5-6M for 7-8 yrs.
Now that JT signed with Leafs, we do not need more C so Nylander will play W and I really do not think it is worth it to invest a lot of money in him unlike to Matthews and Marner.
So what do you guys think?
I'll let you know his value in a minute. But I think it kinda nonsensical to imply that "he can't drive a line". Almost all wingers in the NHL couldn't put in the centre position mid season and expect to "drive a line". The fact that Nylander can play centre and maybe really well in given a long term chance shouldn't lessened his value.
You suggest 9-10 for Matthews. I have to think it 10 plus...using Eichel as comparison, meaning 10m for Eichel and cap increase.
I've said before, and it's only my opinion, Nylander wants a bridge contract. He longs to be a centre and think his worth would be more as a UFA in four years. Nylander and the Leafs have no legal requirement to sign a long term contract. If Nylander do a two year deal at 4.75 a year maybe both will be happy. Trouba seems to be going that route so he can be a UFA as soon as possible.
His value in a long term contract I would say be about 6.75m on a 7 year deal.
I also think the Leafs will have to trade a player like Nylander within a couple years and some other players coming off their ELCs like Dermot, Kapanen, Grunstrom, Liljegren might be getting big raises because of stellar play (Leafs can only hope they are going to be stellar). It isn't cap hell as the misinformed imply, but if the Leafs have "too many good players", some high priced players might have to traded for lower costs futures.
Regarding signability. Without knowing the individuals....Marner seems like the easiest for the Leafs....Toronto boy, drafted by the Leafs, seeing that hometown boy Tavares wanted to return to the Leafs.
Matthews might want to go on his own. But maybe he goes sorta the Tavares and Stamkos route. Signs a semi long term even at long term contract with the Leafs and a rich guy at age 29 and still about to sign long term with another team
Nylander as I suggested maybe doesn't want to be Leaf long term. He was born in Calgary, lived in various North American cities as child, saw that he father played with a number of teams, lived an played in Sweden. He just might be "too worldy" to be so loyal to one organization.