By: Justin Gincauskas
The Toronto Maple Leafs signed forward William Nylander to an eight-year, $92 million contract extension Monday. The deal, which carries an average annual value of $11.5 million, will keep Nylander with the team through the 2031-32 season.
Nylander is in the final year of a six-year, $45 million contract and was expected to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. The new contract includes $69 million in signing bonus money and features a full no-movement clause for all eight years.
In terms of total value, Nylander’s deal is the largest in franchise history. Toronto captain John Tavares held the previous record for the largest Maple Leafs contract with his seven-year, $77 million deal signed in 2018.
During Toronto’s practice Monday, Nylander received congratulatory stick taps from his teammates as he led the stretches.
The Maple Leafs will have four players with a cap hit of over $10 million next season. Auston Matthews has a cap hit of $13.25 million in 2024-25 when his four-year, $53 million contract begins, while Mitch Marner and John Tavares have cap hits of $10.9 million and $11 million, respectively, in the final year of their deals next season.
Nylander is having the best season of his career in 2023-24. The 27-year-old has 54 points in 37 games this season, tied for the fifth most points in the league. Nylander had a career-high 87 points last season and is projected to fly past that total this year. He is currently on pace for over 115 points.
The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Nylander with the eighth overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. In 558 career games with the Maple Leafs, Nylander has 198 goals and 286 assists.
William Nylander will play his first game since signing the extension when Toronto takes on the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.
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