John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
If the Toronto Maple Leafs do not make the playoffs this season in the NHL, there is a world where they can tear it all down and start over as a franchise. One player who would no doubt fetch a lot in return for a trade is William Nylander. He is 29 years old.
Nylander is in the middle of an eight-year $92 million deal with Toronto. There would be a lot of teams who are ready to win now that would be interested in trading for him. In 43 games played this season with the Maple Leafs, he has scored 19 goals and has recorded 36 assists, along with a plus/minus rating of 0.
If Toronto were to start all over, they are going to potentially get a lot of trade offers for him. Which three NHL teams could potentially make the most sense for him?
Pittsburgh Penguins Could Be the Most Ideal Trade Partner for Toronto Maple Leafs William Nylander
The most ideal trade partner for Toronto might be the Pittsburgh Penguins for Nylander. Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas used to be in the front office for the Maple Leafs and they are familiar with each other. The Penguins have the prospects and the draft capital to give Toronto.
Pittsburgh is currently in a playoff spot this year. If Sidney Crosby sticks around for a while, Nylander would be a nice addition to the team. They will also have over $47 million in cap space this offseason. The Penguins also need to decide if they want to re-sign Evgeni Malkin or not. If they don't bring back Malkin, then trading for Nylander will make sense for this franchise.
Detroit Red Wings
Detroit is in the same division as Toronto, but the Red Wings and the Maple Leafs are not rivals so a trade could make sense here. Detroit will have more than $36 million in cap space this offseason. The Red Wings are on the verge of making the playoffs this season. Detroit may feel like they are another piece or two away from being a serious Stanley Cup Contender.
The Red Wings have some of the core in place with Dylan Larkin, Mortiz Seider, Lucas Raymond, and others. Steve Yzerman is known for making some bold moves. He has taken his time with the development and young players in Detroit, but it may be time for him to make a trade that gets them back into Stanley Cup contention.
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks have been a nice surprise in the NHL this season. Anaheim is a very young team that will probably make the playoffs this season, but they would probably like to add another veteran to the team this offseason one way or another. If Nylander were to be traded from Toronto to Anaheim, it would be a perfect spot because the hockey media would no doubt become much quieter for him.
The Ducks are going to have more than $38 million in cap space this offseason. Mason McTavish, Troy Terry, and Beckett Sennecke are some of the key players on this roster. Anaheim is not known for spending money on players. With that being said, a fresh start with the Ducks would be good for him and he can go enjoy the California weather.