At long last, the Toronto Maple Leafs 2025–26 season will be coming to a close on Wednesday night when they take on the rival Senators in Ottawa. It marks the end of an extremely disappointing year that went worse than anyone could have imagined.
As a result of it all, the Maple Leafs are searching for a new general manager and/or president of hockey operations to determine the direction of the organization moving forward. A retool around superstars Auston Matthews and William Nylander is one option, while a full rebuild is the other.
Until there is clarity on that front, rumors will continue to swirl about both players potentially being traded, and the latest involves Nylander and the Seattle Kraken. Dave Jenkins of NHL Trade Rumors recently broke down what a potential return package could look like for the Swedish winger.
“The noise out of Toronto is getting louder, and it’s no longer just about Auston Matthews or Morgan Rielly. If you thought the Toronto Maple Leafs were simply retooling, think again. A full rebuild might actually be on the table, and William Nylander is suddenly at the center of the NHL rumor mill. The latest chatter? A massive, landscape-altering trade linking the superstar winger to the Seattle Kraken.
For Leafs Nation, trading “Willy Styles” feels unthinkable, but the proposed package is already turning heads. The rumored deal sends William Nylander to Seattle in exchange for highly-touted prospect Jake O’Brien, the signing rights to defenseman Blake Fiddler, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick (via Winnipeg). It’s a classic futures-heavy package designed to kickstart a new era in Toronto while giving the Kraken the elite, game-breaking talent they desperately crave,”
The 29-year-old Nylander will be entering year three of the eight-year, $92 million extension he signed with the Maple Leafs in 2024 next season, which includes a full no-movement clause for the duration of the deal.
William Nylander to the Seattle Kraken?
This isn’t the first time Nylander’s name has come up in connection with the Kraken, as Nick Kypreos notably has wondered in the past about a deal sending him to Seattle for a package that included defenseman Brandon Montour.
These are all just rumors for the time being, but as Jenkins noted, nothing can be off the table in Toronto heading into the offseason. On the flip side, the Kraken have the assets—draft picks, prospects, and cap space—to make a move of this magnitude.
Ultimately, the biggest sticking point could be whether Nylander—who holds all the leverage—would have any interest in going to a Seattle team that’s made the playoffs just once in its five-year existence.
Next: Agent Poll Offers Bold Predictions on Connor McDavid’s Next Contract
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