Mike Babcock: "We think Nylander will be a career sheet"

Saturday at 5:00 pm The deadline to sign William Nylander at the Toronto Maple Leafs is fast approaching and many spectators are feeling very nervous.

Head Coach Mike Babbad does not seem to be part of this group.

Babbad said he was confident that Nylander would soon be in uniform with the team and that he would remain a Leafs member for a long time.

"We think Willy's going to be here and we think Willy's going to be here a long time," Babbad said. "We think Willy will be a career sheet."

Babbad's comment that Nylander stays in Toronto until the end of her career comes a day after Elliott Friedman of Sportsnet told Tim & Sid late Wednesday that even though the Leafs and Nylander are to an agreement, it will be the last season of the Swede in the Blue and White.

"The only thing I think, no matter what happens, is that it will be William Nylander's final season as a Toronto Maple Leaf," Friedman said. "That he signs or does not sign, it's going to be that. And even if he signs it, I think Toronto is negotiating it at the latest.

"In one way or another, I think it's over. I would be surprised if he plays for Toronto next season. "

It seems that Babbad would disagree with this opinion.

Nylander, a restricted free agent, has just had two consecutive seasons of 61 points. It was reported that the Leafs and Nylander camps were "close" as they negotiated negotiations with Nylander supposedly willing to accept something of about $ 6.9 million a year.

Currently second in the Atlantic division and only two points behind the Buffalo Sabers, NHL leaders, the Leafs have played very well so far without Nylander, but that does not mean they would not want her return. Babbad certainly seems to be a guy who would like the star to come back on his bench. Ditto for teammate Kasperi Kapanen.

The Leafs will play Saturday against Minnesota Wild at 7:00 pm. HE, a few hours after Nylander's signature deadline