Nylander hopes to work out long-term contract, stay with Maple Leafs

STOCKHOLM --William Nylander wants to remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs long term and the forward said he is unconcerned about heading into the final season of his current contract without signing a new deal.

"For me, the contract, obviously, I want it to work where I can stay there and be there," Nylander said at NHL European Player Media Tour on Wednesday. "There's no other place I want to play, but I still have one more year left. I don't understand why there's such a big rush to do something right now. I still have one more year left."

Nylander is heading into the final season of a six-year, $41.4 million contract (average annual value $6.9 million) he signed on Dec. 1, 2018, and will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent when it expires.

But the 27-year-old said he has no interest in exploring the UFA market next summer.

"I want to be in Toronto as long as I can," he said. "That's just where my mind is at."

Nylander has been eligible to sign a new contract with the Maple Leafs since July 1 and said his agent Lewis Gross has had conversations with Toronto this offseason, but none, to his knowledge, "as of late."

"They had been talking, but I don't think there's been much going on about that," he said. "But I'm just focused on getting ready for the season and having my best season yet in order to help us take the next step, too."

That doesn't mean Nylander would mind getting his contract situation settled before the season.

"Yeah, it would be fun if it would be done, but it's not like that where my focus is at," he said. "I'm just ready to have the best season yet and that will take care of itself when it's ready to happen. So, I'm not worried about it."

Selected with the No. 8 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, Nylander has 430 points (177 goals, 253 assists) in 521 NHL games through eight seasons with Toronto and 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 50 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Last season, he set NHL career-highs with 40 goals, 47 assists and 87 points in 82 regular-season games to tie center Auston Matthews for the Maple Leafs in goals and finish second on Toronto in assists and points behind forward Mitch Marner (69 assists, 99 points).

Toronto avoided having Nylander and Matthews each in the same situation this season by signing Matthews to a four-year, $53 million contract on Wednesday. It has an annual value of $13.25 million and begins next season.

Nylander had 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 11 playoff games to help Toronto advance past the first round for the first time since 2004 by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games before it lost to the Florida Panthers in five games in the second round. That led to Kyle Dubas, whose contract was expiring, being replaced by Brad Treliving as general manager.

"We've got one done and we will continue to work at William's," Treliving said Friday. "William is a terrific player, he is a star and you want to keep your good players. We have time, William has a year left on his contract. We will continue to work away at it and when we have good news, we will be sure to share it."

Nylander said he didn't think the change in general managers impacted his contract situation.

"Not that I know of," he said. "I didn't have any conversations with Kyle about a new contract, so I don't know what difference (that made)."

NHL.com staff writer Dave McCarthy contributed to this report