"This is home": Long-term deal with Leafs was a no-brainer for Nylander
Many Toronto Maple Leafs fans breathed a sigh of relief on Monday upon learning that star forward William Nylander had finally signed an extension.
But when it came to sticking with the Leafs, Nylander, who agreed to an eight-year deal paying him an AAV of $11.5 million, did not appear to have difficulty coming to the decision.
In fact, he considers Toronto to be his home above anywhere else.
With his father playing for seven NHL teams and his own hockey career taking him all over, stability in one spot wasn’t all that common in his younger days until he moved to Toronto to play for the AHL’s Marlies in the 2014-15 season.
“This is the longest I’ve ever spent in one place in my entire life,” the 27-year-old told reporters after practice on Monday. “Without even thinking about it, this is home.”
As for the actual negotiation process, Nylander says he let his agent and Toronto general manager Brad Treliving iron out the final details.
“It was a really smooth process from start to finish… I let my agent and [Treliving] do the talking,” he said. “It’s been a process since the summertime so it’s nice that it’s done. Knowing where I’m going to stay for the next eight years is a very special feeling.”
Over the next eight seasons, the 27-year-old will receive a whopping $92 million, with an AAV of $11.5 million, making it the largest contract in Leafs history by total value. Along with that, Nyalnder’s new contract, which comes into effect next season, makes him the second-highest-paid player on the Leafs behind Auston Matthews’ $13 million AAV.
Selected eighth overall in the 2014 NHL Draft, his most productive offensive campaign to date came in 2022-2023, when he netted 40 goals and 87 points. And he’s on pace for another career year with 21 goals and 33 assists over 37 games this season.
Still, the Swedish winger is quick to credit a large part of his success to the people around him.
“I didn’t do this by myself,” he said. “Thanks to teammates and coaching staff and management, everybody that has believed in me and especially the city of Toronto, the Leafs fans, and everything for all the support.”
When asked about signing such a long contract, Nylander admitted that the ambition to win a Stanley Cup in Toronto played a role in the term.
‘That’s ultimately why I wanted to stay for eight years. I wanted to give it a run to try to win the Cup,” he explained. “My last talks here before I signed was how important that was to me.”
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