Toronto Maple Leafs star forward William Nylander has often been discussed in the rumor mill this offseason. It is understandable, as he is entering the final season of his contract, and his marvelous play warrants a significant raise from his current $6,962,366 cap hit. However, the club also needs to re-sign superstar center Auston Matthews and has several other pending unrestricted free agents (UFA), so Nylander may end up pricing himself out of Toronto. This is why he is the first name listed on The Athletic’s most recent trade board (from ‘NHL’s biggest trade targets for 2023-24: William Nylander, Connor Hellebuyck, more,’ The Athletic, 8/17/2023).
While on the NHL Network, former NHL player and current analyst Mike Rupp said that he believes Nylander’s time with the Maple Leafs is coming to an end and that he thinks he will be moved at some point during the year. From there, he said he would like to see Nylander be “the man somewhere” and noted that the Anaheim Ducks would be a “perfect fit” for the star. He also said that Nylander would fit into their core because of his age.
Now, let’s dive into why the Ducks make sense as a potential landing spot for the Maple Leafs star forward.
Why the Ducks & Nylander Could Be a Great Match
At first glance, some may quickly assume that the Ducks do not make sense as a possible destination for Nylander. After all, they are in the middle of a rebuild and finished with the fewest points (58) in the NHL last season. Although this is the case, it is clear that the Ducks are heading in the right direction and are aiming to improve their roster moving forward.
When looking at the Ducks’ long-term core, it is fair to argue that they are going places. Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, Mason McTavish, Jamie Drysdale, and Leo Carlsson have the potential to be significant difference-makers for the Ducks for several years to come. Furthermore, the Ducks displayed that they want to improve in 2023-24 this summer. They added two notable names, Alex Killorn and Radko Gudas, through free agency on multi-year deals, so it’s clear that they are looking to move to the next stage of their rebuild.
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The Ducks also have a plethora of cap space and would have zero trouble giving Nylander the kind of contract extension he would be looking for. He also would provide them with another legitimate star who would help the development of young Anaheim forwards like Zegras, Carlsson, and McTavish.
Nylander’s Potential Fit With the Ducks
When looking at a potential fit in the Ducks’ lineup for Nylander, there is no question that he would be a massive addition to their top six. During Rupp’s commentary about Nylander, the NHL Network displayed a possible lineup for the Ducks if they acquired the star forward. They projected that Nylander would move to the left wing and play on the top line with Zegras and Terry. This would be a dangerous trio, but another possible scenario could be to keep Nylander at right wing and have a first line of him, Zegras, and Killorn. In either scenario, Anaheim’s first line would be significantly improved.
If acquired, Nylander would also become one of the Ducks’ most critical power-play contributors. Nylander’s greatest asset is his all-around offensive game, and he would strengthen the Ducks’ power play significantly if added. This is especially so when noting that he just posted 40 goals and 87 points in 82 games last season.
Lastly, a move to Anaheim would allow Nylander the opportunity to take on a more prominent leadership role. Although he is still only 27 years, he would be one of the Ducks’ most experienced star players, so he would very likely at least be an alternate captain if acquired.
Potential Nylander Trade Between Maple Leafs & Ducks
Regarding a possible trade between the Maple Leafs and Ducks, the return would likely consist of futures rather than NHL players. It is hard to envision the Ducks giving up any of their young core players or recent free-agent additions. At the same time, veterans like Frank Vatrano, Ryan Strome, and Jakob Silfverberg are unlikely to grab Toronto’s attention. Thus, a possible return for the Maple Leafs in a Nylander trade could be the Ducks’ top defensive prospect Pavel Mintyukov and Anaheim’s 2024 first-round pick (Top 3 protected). This is if a Nylander long-term extension is agreed upon as a part of the deal.
Mintyukov was selected with the 10th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and has the potential to emerge as a top-pairing NHL defenseman. The 19-year-old is coming off a fantastic season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), posting 24 goals and 88 points in 69 games split between the Saginaw Spirit and Ottawa 67’s. He would be a massive prospect for the Maple Leafs to add and would be NHL-ready shortly.
As for the first-round pick, this could benefit the Maple Leafs in multiple ways. With the Ducks still expected to be a non-playoff team, Toronto would likely get another quality prospect if they held onto it. However, they also could use the pick to land a star player to replace Nylander for their playoff run. Flipping the pick seems quite possible, as they have Stanley Cup aspirations this season.
We must wait and see if the Maple Leafs and Ducks strike a Nylander trade this upcoming season. On paper, there appears to be a good match here for both parties, but time will tell what happens with the star forward from here.
