William Nylander has long been one of the more contentious players on the Leafs. Some fans love him and think he's necessary for the team's success while others think the team would be better off trading him. <h2>Nylander's Spot In Toronto</h2> <div align='center' style='padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:20px;'><img src='https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/i/photo/331272.webp' width='100%' border='0' alt='image' loading='lazy' defer /></div> The Leafs are in a tough spot with Nylander. The star winger remains without a contract for the upcoming season and yet his value is only increasing making contract negotiations more difficult. He's off to a hot start with 12 points through 8 games, putting him on pace for 123 points. If he's able to keep it up, it would blow his previous career high of 87 points completely out of the water. The Leafs have reportedly been in talks with Nylander about a contract extension since before the season started but nothing has come from them. Now, Nylander's camp may very well be more interested in waiting out the season and seeing just how well Nylander can play, increasing his leverage in negotiations. This could make re-signing him quite difficult, especially with the Leaf's cap situation. <h2>In Come The Blue Jackets</h2> <div align='center' style='padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:20px;'><img src='https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/i/photo/331274.webp' width='100%' border='0' alt='image' loading='lazy' defer /></div> One fan proposed trade has William Nylander going to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for center Kent Johnson, a defenseman off the current NHL roster, and a high draft pick. Such a trade could help the Leafs in the short term by freeing up cap space and brining on a player on an entry-level contract. While Johnson is unlikely to become the same level of player as Nylander, he does have a lot of upside which could lead to a better team in the long run as well. Such a trade could also address an organizational need for defensemen. As seen on <a href='https://www.hockeypatrol.com/nhl-team/toronto-maple-leafs/Metro-Division-Team-Emerges-as-Likely-Trade-Partner-if-Leafs-Decide-to-Move-Nylander' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Metro Division Team Emerges as Likely Trade Partner if Leafs Decide to Move Nylander</a>