The Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils hit the offseason in a similar spot. Both were talented teams on paper with high expectations. Yet, neither team delivered on the ice. That situation led to leadership changes in the executive suite.
Regardless of the changes in the management group, the on-ice issues remain. One issue for incoming Devils GM Sunny Mehta will be extending captain Nico Hischier. However, the former first-overall pick from the 2017 NHL Draft didn’t seem too happy about this season.
Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs face a conundrum with William Nylander, who has seemingly checked out of Toronto. While he has said he’s willing to grind out a short-term retool, he’d rather jump ship if a full-on rebuild happens in Toronto.
That situation raises the question: What if a 1-for-1 trade between the Maple Leafs and Devils could alleviate the pressure for both players and organizations?
Maple Leafs get:
Nico Hischier, F
Devils get:
William Nylander, F
This trade idea would certainly raise some eyebrows. However, it would allow both organizations to hit a turning point of sorts. The move would also give both stars a fresh start, though they’d be entering relatively similar situations.
Why Hischier Makes Sense for Maple Leafs
Hischier makes a ton of sense for the Maple Leafs. Unlike Nylander, he’s a center. And he’d be a perfect second-line center to play behind Auston Matthews. Adding Hischier would give the Maple Leafs solid depth down the middle.
The Leafs could deploy Matthews as the 1C, Hischier at 2C, and John Tavares as the 3C. As for the 4C, the Leafs have various options in the AHL to utilize in that role.
Also, Hischier is not a defensive liability like Nylander. As such, the current Devils captain would provide some much-needed defensive reliability for the club.
As for scoring, Hischier notched 28 goals and 66 points in 82 games. That’s pretty much on par with Nylander. Hischier is not a 40-goal scorer, but he is a fantastic all-around top-six forward.
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Toronto Would Need to Extend Hischier
The biggest risk that could come from this trade would be the Maple Leafs’ need to extend Hischier. The 27-year-old is entering the final year of his current seven-year, $50.75 million contract. The final season comes with a $7.25 million contract.
Perhaps the trade comes with a contract extension in tow. Even if it doesn’t, the Leafs would need to figure out an extension for him. It wouldn’t be ludicrous to see Hischier get something like a four-year deal around $10 to $11 million per season. That’s what the Leafs could do with Nylander’s cap hit coming off the books.
Lastly, no-trade clauses could get in the way. The Maple Leafs would have to contend with Hischier’s 10-team no-trade clause, while Nylander has a full no-move. Assuming those clauses would not get in the way, a deal would be worthwhile to at least explore by both sides.
It’s worth pointing out that the new leadership in Toronto and New Jersey would be looking to make a splash. So, why not consider a deal such as this?
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