The contractual details are just as significant: Nylander is set to earn $69 million in signing bonuses, and he has full no-movement and no-trade protection for the entirety of the eight-year term, which is something that Nylander’s main comparable in negotiations, David Pastrnak, didn’t even receive.
As of today, the new contract gives Nylander the fifth-highest cap hit in the league next season (technically, Erik Karlsson has the same overall cap hit, but it is split across two teams). He will be one of the 10 highest-paid players in the NHL.
The Leafs’ big bet on Nylander and the comparables used
On the surface, it is a bit of a tough pill to swallow.