In today’s NHL rumors rundown, could the Toronto Maple Leafs let William Nylander play out his current contract? Meanwhile, what did Alex Galchenyuk do to get himself in such hot water that his contract was terminated by the Arizona Coyotes? Finally, Tony DeAngelo has cleared waivers and the Philadelphia Flyers will begin the process of a buyout.
Could Nylander Play Out His Current Contract?
Both Eric Duhatschek and Jonas Siegel of The Athletic took a look at the option of the Toronto Maple Leafs not trading or extending forward William Nylander this summer. What happens in that scenario and is it actually beneficial for the Maple Leafs? Both writers seemed to suggest it was a realistic option despite the risk associated with Nylander potentially being able to walk away from the team at the end of the season for no return.
Siegel writes:
It’s easy to feel like Leafs GM Brad Treliving has only two options with Nylander this summer: Sign him or trade him. But there’s a third path that Stanley Cup hopefuls, absent contract extensions, typically choose in situations like this. They keep the star, try to compete for the Cup, and maybe (hopefully!) sign that player later.
soure – ‘The case for the Maple Leafs letting William Nylander play out his contract’ – Jonas Siegel – The Athletic – 07/14/2023
Citing David Pastrnak’s and Steven Stamkos’ situations in Boston and Tampa, there’s a precedent in the NHL for going this route. Siegel notes, although there is a risk of the star player leaving in free agency, their potential contributions during another Stanley Cup chase outweigh this concern. Additionally, there remains a possibility that the player will choose to re-sign in the end.
Related: Hurricanes Would Be Wise to Trade for William Nylander
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He also asks, if the team has no intention of meeting Nylander’s price in the present or future, what should they do? The answer could be to retain Nylander regardless. At this point, a trade is challenging to win for the Leafs and the value he brings for what he’s paid this season is better than anything the Leafs could acquire in a deal.
Galchenyuk Threatened a Police Officer and His Family
According to a police report obtained by The Athletic, Alex Galchenyuk faces multiple charges, including hit and run, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. The report reveals that during his arrest, Galchenyuk allegedly made threatening comments and used a racist slur towards an officer. He exhibited erratic behavior and reached under his seat, prompting a warning from the officer. A struggle ensued during the arrest, leading to assistance from other officers. While being transported to the police station, Galchenyuk allegedly continued making threatening remarks, including threats against the officer’s family.
The specific comments do not need repeating here, but they are beyond anything the Arizona Coyotes were willing to tolerate and they immediately push to terminate his contract upon finding out about his behavior. It was clear in the report that Galchenyuk was under the influence and his father commented that he’d never seen his son behaving in such a manner.
Katie Strang of The Athletic writes:
Typically, when an NHL player is involved in an incident involving alcohol or arrested, that player will be contacted by the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program for evaluation. Galchenyuk will still be eligible to utilize the player assistance program despite his contract being terminated.
source – ‘Galchenyuk allegedly threatened to kill officer and family, used racist slur during arrest: Police report’ – Katie Strang – The Athletic – 07/14/2023
DeAngelo Clears Waivers, Flyers to Buy Out Contract
Tony DeAngelo has cleared waivers and his contract will likely be bought out by the Philadelphia Flyers. The potential buyout of DeAngelo would result in a $1.67 million cap hit for the Philadelphia Flyers in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. Opting for a buyout would provide the Flyers with greater cap savings of $3.33 million in 2023-24, compared to $2.5 million if DeAngelo were traded with a maximum retention rate of 50 percent. Additionally, the buyout would free up a retention slot for the Flyers, allowing them to potentially utilize it for other players leading up to the 2024 NHL trade deadline.
