ST. PAUL, MINN.—William Nylander’s bags were packed, and he tweeted “Going home” on Saturday after signing a six-year, $45-million contract to remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs.They cut it close. The deal was struck five minutes before a deadline that allowed Nylander to play in the NHL this season.The extension has an average annual value of $10.21 million this season (all dollars U.S.) and $6.97 million in the years that follow. He won’t see $3.2 million of this year’s salary, though, after missing roughly a third of the schedule.Nylander was to land in Toronto on Sunday, the team’s day off, and practise with the squad on Monday. He could be in the lineup as early as Tuesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, pending a physical.At least that was what coach Mike Babcock implied Saturday — even before the deal was done.“Willie is going to be in our lineup starting whenever he gets over here and gets signed today and get it all worked out,” the coach said Saturday morning, prior to the Leafs’ game against the Wild. “I like the player. He’s a good player. Team needs him.”When Nylander arrives, the Leafs — at the limit of 23 active players — will be forced to make a roster move. Barring any injuries, it was most likely that they would put a player on waivers — probably defenceman Justin Holl, who has only played one game this year.Lines, too, will have to change. If Nylander resumes his spot on Auston Matthews’ right side as expected, Kasperi Kapanen would probably drop to the third line and Connor Brown to the fourth, making Tyler Ennis or Josh Leivo healthy scratches.The Maple Leafs drafted Nylander eighth overall in 2014, the year their teardown began. After an impressive two-season apprenticeship with the Toronto Marlies, Nylander joined the Leafs full time in the 2016-17 season, installed immediately on Matthews’ right wing. He scored 61 po ...
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