William Nylander strikes 8 year, $92M US contract extension with Maple Leafs

William Nylander is the final member of the Toronto Maple Leafs' Core Four to join the eight figure salary club. On Monday, the ninth year NHL forward agreed to an eight year contract extension. He was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. It is the largest contract in Maple Leafs history by total value and includes a no movement clause.

Top centre Auston Matthews signed a four year extension with Toronto last August that carries an average annual value of $13.25 million US. Linemate Mitch Marner agreed to a six year deal in 2019 with an AAV of $10.893 million, while fellow forward John Tavares earns $11 million on his seven year pact signed in 2018.

At $11.5 million, Nylander tops Boston's David Pastrnak ($11.25 million) and sit below only New York's Artemi Panarin ($11.64 million) among the NHL's highest paid wingers. "That would be a dream to stay here. I mean, to play for such an organization, and I call Toronto home," the six foot, 202 pound Swede told reporters after a 4 1 Toronto win at San Jose on Saturday.

"So, I think that'd be a very special feeling." Nylander, who had two goals and three points against the Sharks, is on track for career highs in goals (47) and points (120). Opinion Joy Drop: Leafs' William Nylander knows how to avoid Toronto traffic "Just building off what I did the year before and the year before that.

I mean, getting older and more mature as a player," said Nylander, who posted 80 points in the 2021 22 season and improved to 87 last campaign. "I think everything is just coming together and becoming the player that I'm capable of being." 'He just goes out and plays' Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe has used the word "unflappable" to describe the 27 year old winger.

"He doesn't get too concerned with anything that's going outside of what his responsibilities are on the ice," said Keefe, who signed a two year contract extension last summer, keeping him as the team's head coach until at least 2025. "And that's what I really like about him.

He just goes out and plays. And he wants to continue to get better. "He's been working on his game, working to find his own consistency over the last number of years. He took a huge step last season and hasn't looked back." Maple Leafs make Auston Matthews highest paid player in NHL history with 4 year, $53M US deal Sheldon Keefe to return as Maple Leafs head coach, says general manager Treliving Last summer, multiple reports had Nylander's ask on a long term extension in the range of $10 million per season but the Calgary born athlete has further stepped up his game and tops the Leafs with 54 points in 37 games.

In 2017, Nylander decided he would not negotiate his second NHL contract with Toronto in season and it resulted in the longest NHL contract dispute in the salary cap era. He eventually reached a six year deal worth $45 million that included a 10 team no trade list. At training camp last September, Nylander told reporters he had informed his agent, Lewis Gross, he could continue to negotiate with the Leafs throughout the season.

First year Toronto general manager Brad Treliving had plenty of space to accommodate a Nylander raise, given Tavares's contract comes off the books at the end of next season..