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Can Seattle Make a Pitch For Nylander? |
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Recently, we have learned that one area that the Seattle Kraken feel they need to improve is having an elite offensive driver; someone who can dominate play by themselves. This is one of the reasons why they have been linked to Erik Karlsson on the blueline.
The Kraken showed last season that they are a good team but for the most part they have won games and scored goals through committee. While there are some excellent players on this team they don't have a true elite player in the likes of a McDavid, Matthews, Crosby, MacKinnon, etc. Maybe Beniers can become that or Shane Wright but it isn't something the team has right now.
We know that talks are not looking promising between the Maple Leafs and William Nylander who is entering the last year of his contract. Reports have stated that the forward is looking for a deal closer to 10 million while the team is prepared to offer him 8. With the signings of Bertuzzi and Domi, it certainly looks like new GM Brad Treliving is already preparing for life without Nylander.
Nylander is an excellent player who doesn't get talked about enough outside of Toronto. While Matthews and Marner get most of the main attention, Nylander has shown an ability to drive offense himself. Over the past three seasons, despite their playoff struggles, no Leaf player has scored more goals than Nylander. His 12 goals outpaces Matthews 10 and his 25 points is tied with Matthews for second over that time (Marner is 1st with 26 points).
While the Kraken have an excellent group of wingers with the likes of Eberle, McCann, Schwartz, Burakovsky, Bjorkstrand, and Tolvanen, with respect to all of those players none of them are as skilled as William Nylander. He would immediately be the best forward on the roster and a perfect fit on the wing beside Matty Beniers.
Now let's talk about the potential trade itself and what it would cost to acquire Nylander. I know Toronto fans are going to roll in expecting the world for Nylander but I just don't see it. A few big factors play into a Nylander trade:
1) The forward is in the last year of his contract and is a pending UFA. Teams typically are not paying as much for these players, usually with some type of conditional pick dependent on if they re-sign.
2) The feud between the player and team are very public. Everyone knows Nylander wants out and that the team cannot keep him at what he is asking for. This limits the Leafs negotiating power.
3) The number of teams that are able to take on his 6.9 million salary this season and have the space to sign him to a lengthy deal for next year and beyond (the second part is less of a factor knowing the cap will increase)
The DeBrincat trade from last season is an interesting comparable. The Senators traded a 7th overall pick, a second round pick that season, and a third round pick in 2024. That was the cost to acquire a 24 year old forward who was about to be an RFA, a player who the Senators would still control the rights to after his contract expired. I would expect Nylander to cost less than this.
Forgetting about the exact logistics of the deal (let's say Jagger Firkus, Toronto's 3rd round pick in 2024 that Seattle currently owns, and a conditional 2nd that becomes a first if Nylander extends). The question is should Seattle make this trade? I would easily argue yes.
Not only can Seattle fit Nylander into the cap this season, even after the likely 7-8 million dollar deal Dunn will get but they will have ample room to extend him moving forward (the cap going up and Eberle's deal coming off the books alone basically covers it). On top of adding Nylander, Seattle could then make the decision to trade the likes of Bjorkstrand or Burakovsky for more help on the blue line if they felt the need.
Nylander is an interesting option that rarely happens around the NHL and if the Kraken want to make another big splash I think it's in the realm of possibility.
Thanks for reading.
Seattle Kraken Blogger • 
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