There is speculation the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander may be inching closer to a deal as contract terms are out there in the rumor mill.

It was first brought up by former NHL player and Boston Bruins star Marc Savard that $6.9 million per season would get Nylander back in a Maple Leafs jersey this season. It was then reported by Chris Johnston of Sportsnet who said that a six-year deal was possible, with the Nylander camp perhaps willing to accept something around $6.9 million per season. Neither knew where the Leafs and Nylander were at in terms of negotiating that deal but that the numbers were identical was likely a sign that something was getting closer.

Elliotte Friedman then reported the two sides were, in fact, getting closer and potentially within about half-a-million dollars of each other. If so, this is great news for the Maple Leafs who had contended all along that Nylander's asking price of $8 - $8.5 million on a long-term deal was well outside their budget and that if the ask stayed in that region, the team would be forced to let him sit the remainder of the year or trade him to a team willing to give him the kind of money he wanted.

A trade still might be a possibility since the organization has until December 1, 2018, to get a deal finalized or risk Nylander being ineligible for the year. With that in mind, speculation is that the Maple Leafs have also worked out potential trade options in the event the two sides can't bridge that gap in the next couple of days.

What This Means

Could the endless talk of William Nylander joining the Toronto Maple Leafs finally be coming to an end? Has Nylander come to the realization that he's not going to get the money he wants while the Maple Leafs realize they need to make their move now?

If Nylander joins the team, Toronto becomes a clear favorite for the Stanley Cup. Already a top team in the NHL, their offense will get that much more potent and they may become unstoppable.

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