Maple Leafs' Sheldon Keefe and Jonathan Tavares make their thoughts known on William Nylander's monster $92,000,000 deal

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Jan 08, 2024 19:11 GMT

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a significant move to secure the future of one of their star players, William Nylander. The franchise announced a bold eight-year, $92 million contract extension for Nylander, emphasizing his crucial role in the team's long-term plans.

Sheldon Keefe, the head coach of the Maple Leafs, expressed his enthusiasm about coaching Nylander under the new contract. In a statement shared by Maple Leafs reporter David Alter on Twitter, Keefe said,

"We're excited to coach this version of Willy that he has evolved to over the years."

Jonathan Tavares, the captain of the Maple Leafs and a key figure in the team's leadership, also shared his thoughts on Nylander's mega-deal. According to David Alter's tweet, Tavares conveyed his confidence in Nylander's commitment to reaching an agreement with the team:

"I didn't have any doubts; it's just the beginning for him."

Nylander's journey with Toronto has seen him evolve as a player. And his performance has impressed coach Sheldon Keefe and teammate Jonathan Tavares.

Toronto Maple Leafs secure William Nylander with record-breaking $92 million, eight-year extension

The Toronto Maple Leafs have secured forward William Nylander for the long term with a record-breaking eight-year, $92 million contract extension. This deal, the largest in franchise history by total value, includes a no-movement clause, ensuring Nylander's commitment to the team. At 27, Nylander has displayed impressive performance this season, contributing 21 goals and 33 assists in 37 games.

Nylander was drafted eighth overall by the Maple Leafs in 2014. He has amassed an impressive 198 goals and 286 assists over 558 games, accompanied by a plus-28 defensive rating. The extension came at a crucial time, as Nylander was on track to become an unrestricted free agent in the upcoming offseason.

With this signing, Toronto now has a significant portion of its salary cap allocated to crucial players. The team has allocated approximately $45.75 million to Nylander, center Auston Matthews, captain John Tavares and star wing Mitch Marner for the next season. Additionally, defenseman Morgan Rielly is in the second year of his eight-year contract, valued at $7.5 million annually. These five players constitute over 60 percent of the Maple Leafs salary cap space. This emphasizes the team's strategic focus on retaining its core talent for continued success.