Things are not looking good when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs getting pending UFA forward Zach Hyman signed to a contract extension. Up until now, reports have suggested he wants to stay in Toronto but that he might see what the market would offer, then determine how much he might be willing to leave on the table to stick around. Now, it sounds a lot more like the Leafs are not only not making progress, but the odds are Hyman doesn’t return.
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Sportsnet insider Chris Johnston was guest on The Athletic’s podcast, The Leaf Report and said, “I really believe that it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see Zach Hyman back with the Leafs.” Johnston added that Hyman is at a spot where the market will pay him too much for him to pass up. “There’s an understanding that while things can change, I’m not sure what he needs and what they need is lined up right now.”
James Mirtle of The Athletic followed up with more detail on where the Leafs and Hyman are at and noted the two sides haven’t had any meaningful contract talks at all. He writes (subscription required):
Unrestricted free agency opens six weeks from today across the NHL. There remains time for the above to be true and for the two sides to meet and work something out. But the more I’ve talked to people around the team in the weeks since the Leafs’ season ended in ugly fashion, the less that feels like where we’re headed.
In fact, it feels downright unlikely anything is going to get done.
Mirtle notes that no progress was made on extension talks, dating all the way back to when Hyman first became eligible for a new deal last year. There’s a belief that Toronto has said to themselves, if Hyman is really looking at getting $6 million per season on a long-term deal, then it’s not in their best interests to keep him. As good as Hyman is, the team can’t afford to have an albatross contract on their books.
Hyman is a good player, but how good? The 29-year-old winger scored 15 goals and 33 points in 43 regular season games this year, but did suffer another knee injury and looked less than ideal in the playoffs. Hyman’s gritty play style is one that almost every team in the league would covet, especially if he can continue to produce 20-goal seasons moving forward.
Hyman To Hit the Open Market
It sounds like, at the very least, Hyman will explore offers from teams in free agency and the expectation is that he’ll sign somewhere for at least six years and $6 -$6.5 million per season. Josh Anderson’s seven-year, $38.5 million deal signed with the Canadiens last October might be used by Hyman’s agent as a comparable. Clearly, this isn’t a deal the Leafs can afford.
At best, the Leafs can afford around $4.5 million per season. Speculation is that Hyman knows that he’ll be leaving close to $10 million on the table if he chooses to accept such a deal.
As for what the Leafs will do next, if they don’t re-sign Hyman and they lose Alex Kerfoot to Seattle in the NHL Expansion Draft, Dubas will have almost $15 million in cap room to spend between the start of free agency and opening night of the 2021-22 season.
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