3 questions facing Toronto Maple Leafs

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Toronto Maple Leafs.

1. Can the Maple Leafs and William Nylander work out a new contract?

With center Auston Matthews signing a four-year contract Aug. 23, the focus now turns to Nylander. The 27-year-old forward is heading into the final season of a six-year contract he signed Dec. 1, 2018, and will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent when it expires.

Nylander has let it be known he'd like to stay in Toronto but said there is no urgency to come to an agreement.

"There's no other place I want to play, but I still have one more year left," Nylander said during the NHL Players European Media Tour in Stockholm last week. "I don't understand why there's such a big rush to do something right now.

"I still have one more year left."

2. Will the goaltending be good enough?

The Maple Leafs feel they have depth in goal with Ilya Samsonov, Joseph Woll and Martin Jones. But there are questions revolving around each of them.

Samsonov was 27-10-5 with a 2.33 goals-against average, .919 save percentage and four shutouts in 42 games last season, his first with Toronto. But the 26-year-old, who was awarded a one-year contract through arbitration July 23, has struggled to stay healthy at times and missed the Maple Leafs' final two Stanley Cup Playoff games against the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Second Round because of a neck injury.

Woll replaced Samsonov against Florida and played well, making 64 saves on 68 shots in those two games. But the 25-year-old has 15 career NHL games (11 regular season, four playoffs) and must overcome his inexperience.

Jones was brought in as insurance. The 33-year-old was 27-13-3 with a 2.99 GAA, .887 save percentage and three shutouts in 48 games with the Seattle Kraken last season.

3. Can John Klingberg regain his offensive form?

The 31-year-old admits he struggled last season, and the numbers back him up. He had 33 points (10 goals, 23 assists) in 67 games with the Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild last season and struggled defensively, finishing minus-25.

The Maple Leafs plan to use him in situations to exploit his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. As such, expect him to replace Morgan Rielly on the top power-play unit and play limited minutes 5-on-5.

Klingberg has had at least 32 points in each of his nine NHL seasons (the first eight with the Dallas Stars), so the offensive upside is there. It'll be up to Toronto to find ways to limit his defensive deficiencies.