Kyle Dubas on re-signing Nylander

General Manager Dubas gave a brief press availability just hours after he was able to come to a deal to re-sign Nylander.

He was able to discuss some key things within the negotiation and how they value Nylander on this team. But the process of re-signing the forward was not exactly an easy one for both sides.

Not only did the optimism work, but he was able to get Nylander signed long-term. Giving the Leafs a very good player with a manageable cap hit, it’s all about economics now.

To get this deal, Dubas had to negotiate through countless offers and proposals. Hopefully, this process will not take as long and be as painful with the upcoming Restricted Free Agents.

There has already been some discussion, which is very good and honestly surprising. Even though you want your club to be in the record books, I’m sure Dubas won’t enjoy this NHL record.

If Training Camp is a quasi-deadline that Dubas wants to set, then we might even see both Matthews, Marner, and Kapanen not become RFAs and get new contracts before July 1st. Hopeful thinking, but I’m sure Dubas will now learn from this negotiation with Nylander.

Luckily Dubas is not going to have another big contract to worry about if Nylander had to sit out this season, but they were prepared.

Whatever it takes to make it work for the team and its future – Dubas said the team was prepared to go without Nylander, since it went so late. Both sides were really cutting it close and down to the minute in negotiations.

For the immediate future, Dubas says that Nylander will need to go through some medical testing and will not rush him into the lineup beforehand.

The Leafs upcoming schedule is Tuesday at Buffalo, Thursday at home versus Detroit, and Saturday at Boston – Nylander will most likely make his season debut in one of those three games.