The William Nylander Saga Continues, Here’s The Latest From One Of Our Website’s Sources
Nice accent, New Jersey?
Austria!
Well, good day mate, let’s put another shrimp on the Barbe’.
Let’s not.
My first name isn’t Lloyd but I can tell you Leafs Nation, it’s beginning to feel like a lot like Christmas.
Paging William Nylander, your guest Kyle Dubas has arrived at the airport and is ready to meet with you.
Who took the over on 0.5 intercoms at airports in Europe sending Leafs Nation into a frenzy?
Always take the over.
After this baggage claim meeting took place, phones were blowing up, tweets were flowing like the salmon off the coast of the Capistrano and everyone and their mothers were fishing for more information.
Here at DeanBlundell.com we are no different, exclusive insight is what makes us hot and bothered.
The story sent out a few days ago was, as Dean mentioned, from a blogger, not Dean. So let’s clarify this before Dean gets anymore hate mail.
It was me, one of Dean’s ‘contributing writers’, a position I’ve manned since day one of this site.
Unfortunately, I can’t mention who I am, as much as my heart desires, as my contract at work won’t allow me to do so. They pay me pretty well there, so I will play by their rules. Yes, this isn’t work for me more so ‘Volunteer Moonlighting’, Dean pays me in coffee and conversation, much like all his contributors, just ask newbie Daren Millard.
When I went to market with my story in regards to Willy signing on the dotted line earlier this week, it was because I felt Leafs Nation deserved to know. I was told directly the deal was basically done by someone I trust and who I would trust enough to take care of my lovely Mother. My network of wonderful individuals both male and female were providing me with several different avenues of information and the streets were becoming littered with unfiltered vocabulary. Be it, employees of MLSE who I have known for 22 years, be it ex-Leafs who grace me with their presence, or family members of current players (yes, if you listened to Dean and Daren’s latest podcast they mention it’s always the family who leaks the info, thanks Mrs Tavares ;). The info that was thrown my way earlier this week included details around how dialogue between both sides was as positive as it’s ever been, several different lengths of offers were being discussed and members of the Toronto Maple Leafs operations team were beginning to edit pre-game videos to include William Nylander amongst the content for Saturday night’s game against the Jets.
It was happening.
Then, and coincidently after we posted the story, the chatter on the world wide web blew up.
Bold predictions were being made:
Bold prediction: Nylander plays Saturday against the Jets.
— Steve “Dangle” Glynn (@Steve_Dangle) October 23, 2018
A lot of people with their own avenue of sourcing thought it was happening.
Some were hearing bridge:
The #Leafs are believed to be working on a bridge deal with the William Nylander camp. (@reporterchris)https://t.co/t89X7FGpRZ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 23, 2018
While others were hearing Kyle Dubas and the Leafs management would much prefer the long-term deal.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and forward William Nylander have found common ground on contract talks and a deal is expected in the coming days.
From the sound of things the deal is going to be in the ballpark of 6-years with an AAV of $6.5-$7.5 million. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/rA5v51W86o
— Complete Hockey News (@CompleteHkyNews) October 24, 2018
If you have listened to the latest podcast —>here, Daren Millard mentions he confirmed there were two offers presented to Willy and his agent, one short, one long.
So now what.
It’s been 48 hours as I promised. Are they waiting on the fax to come through like when the Leafs tried to trade Jonas Hoglund? Or was it something like they were losing their patience with Nylander as they did with Phil Kessel after he offered to pay the trainers $5000 so he didn’t have to do the fitness testing in camp.
Here’s the latest I have.
Ready…
The dialogue between Dubas and Nylander’s camp is as strong as it’s been in weeks, it’s been constant over the past 5 days, it’s been for the most part very positive and productive and as of early Friday morning, from what I am told an agreement hinges on the Leafs buying into Nylander’s UFA life and how much exactly his salary will go up in the final one or two years of the long-term deal. Ideally, again, from what I’ve been told, is Dubas wants Nylander locked in for under $7 million on a long-term commitment, he wants Marner in around $8.5 million and he would love to get Matthews in right around JT’s number of $11 million. Dubas has preached taking less so they can build something special since day one on the job and I’ve been told that during this whole process with Willy, Kyle Dubas has reiterated to Nylander that he has no intention of trading him. Zero.
So put those Tyson Barrie rumours to bed.
And it appears, as of Friday morning that this could still get done this week.
Breathe Leafs Nation, it’s all going to work out for the young core. Believe in Kyle Dubas and his negotiating skills.
In ‘Dube’ we trust, right Canada?
And most off, if you are going to take away anything in this, believe in DeanBlundell.com.
We broke the John Tavares news thanks to some hard work from Dean Blundell who also knew a thing or two about Mike Babcock coming to Toronto many moons ago didn’t he?. We told you the Raptors were going to make a run for Kawhi Leonard months in advance after an assistant to the GM told us exclusively so. We told you in the summer Matthews asked to play less with Hyman and more with Marleau. Don’s football picks are more accurate than any expert on ESPN. We started the please get rid of Paul Romanuk chatter. We gave you insider information on Roberto Osuna and how the Jays were trading him asap. We told you Vladdy Jr isn’t getting called up until the second week of April 2019.
Now we are telling you William Nylander isn’t getting traded. They are in the final stages of settling on figures that make sense for both sides and there’s serious chatter completion of this deal is right around the corner.
A bridge?
Long-term?
Tomato, tomato.
One thing we can agree on – the Maple Leafs are going to be scary good once Bill Nye gets the fuck out of Austria.