If you were around for the first time, William Nylander negotiated a contract extension; you’ll know why the second time around gave the fanbase a collective shudder going into it.
Nylander didn’t exactly get off on the right foot with Maple Leafs fans, at least when the time came to negotiate an extension. He held out at the start of the 2018-19 season and didn’t make his debut until after he eventually signed a six-year contract worth $6.9 million annually, and when he came back, his legs weren’t underneath him. Many fans were upset that he held out of playing any games to start the season because he wanted more money, while the other side of the fanbase defended his value to the team.
Fast forward to 2023-24, and you’d be hard-pressed to find fans who don’t love Nylander. He’s developed into one of the team’s most dependable contributors, constantly improving his game year after year while Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner get most of the attention, and although the bar is on the floor, Nylander has been the one core player who has consistently produced in the playoffs for the Maple Leafs. It’s hard to imagine that there were ever people who complained about Nylander earning just shy of $7 million a year, especially when you consider the overall positive reaction to an eight-year extension worth $11.5 million annually that he signed in January.
8 for 88 😎
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 8, 2024
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Unless you firmly believe that you shouldn’t pay your core forwards, it’s hard to be upset about the contract. First of all, he’s the first Leaf core player of this era to sign a max-term deal, which shows his true desire to play for Toronto and be a Maple Leaf. But even beyond that, Nylander has flat-out earned his money. He’s barreling toward what will probably be a third-straight 40-goal season, and he’s improved his point totals every year to date. Last season remains his highest, with 98 points in 82 games, and it seems like he’s only going to get better and better.
Whether or not the money was a good investment will come down to the team’s playoff performance, like any other judgement of players who play for this team. But playoff success aside, Nylander’s extension was a big story and one of the best moments this team had in 2024.