Agent Denies Zach Hyman Turned Down $5M Offer from Maple Leafs

There was a rumor circulating the hockey world on Friday that the Toronto Maple Leafs had made an offer to UFA forward Zach Hyman and that Hyman turned it down. The reported offer would see him make $5 million per season and speculation was that the player had said no, thus leading to further speculation he might be leaning towards testing the free agent market this offseason.

Multiple reports, including one from Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, have since denied the rumor, including Hyman’s agent, Todd Reynolds who says that’s it’s not accurate. We don’t know if that means an offer was never made or that one was declined. We only know that a $5 million offer was not turned down by the player.

Related: Hyman Leaves Door Open to Moving on From Maple Leafs This Offseason

Re: #Leafs offering Hyman $5-million AAV, agent Todd Reynolds says that's not accurate.

— Terry Koshan (@koshtorontosun) June 4, 2021

The last anyone has heard about progress on a contract extension comes from Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas who said he would like to bring the player back, and then from Hyman himself in a media avail where he said he was still digesting the loss and that he would “of course” like to stay with the Leafs, but would see “if something made sense.”

Hyman 28 goals per 82 games over last three seasons, is one of the league’s best forecheckers and can play two-way hockey, while killing penalties and producing in a team’s top six. Buzz is that he’s going to be a hot commodity and that $5 million per season may be the starting point for offers from other teams, Hyman potentially getting as much as $6 million over six years with another team.

If there’s any truth to the fact that Hyman isn’t interested in a $5 million extension with Toronto, it says a lot about may Torontonians theories that he’s willing to take a big discount to stick with the team. Chris Johnston wrote in his Sportsnet column today, “Hyman’s next contract will almost certainly be worth more than $5-million per season and come with term, which is why it’s possible the hometown kid has already played his final game for the Leafs.”

What Is The Real Value Of Zach Hyman?

As one person phrased it on Twitter, “The value of Zach Hyman type players goes away the second they sign a contract north of $5 million AAV. You don’t break the bank on Zach Hyman, you find the next Zach Hyman.” There might be some truth to that. At 29 years old, Hyman has the potential to be quite effective for two or three more seasons, but what happens with his style of play and as he gets older? Will he remain as effective a player? He certainly could, but there’s always a gamble when dishing out these long-term deals, which is typically why teams no longer do it.

There’s also the argument that when his production dropped drastically in the playoffs, it may have suggested there’s a chance he’s not a lock to produce. In his defense, he was fresh off an injury and that probably played into things.

Next: Wayne Simmonds Unsure About His Future With Maple Leafs