William Nylander is in the midst of his best season with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2023-24, and the Swedish superstar is going to be due for a massive payday this summer.

Of course, the Leafs' front office is doing everything they can to keep the longtime Toronto winger in Canada for the rest of his career. Nylander is currently making just under $7 million in the final year of a six-year, $45 million contract that was signed in December of 2018.

It's no surprise that the former No. 8 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft will be getting a raise, but according to hockey insiders Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger, that number could be north of $11 million AAV.

“It’s not done yet. Both sides have been tight-lipped, but what we can say is that they’re trying to hammer this thing down,” reported The Athletic's LeBrun on Thursday. “I believe we’re looking at a max eight-year term at north of $11 million per season. Just how far north of $11 million remains to be seen.”

“I’ve heard $11.25 million [average annual value], which is $90 million [over eight years], and I think it’s going to be north of that,” Dreger asserted on TSN’s Overdrive.

Nylander has earned every penny

William Nylander smiling with Maple Leafs fans cheering

That is certainly a massive contract extension, but Nylander has earned it as the Leafs' best player this year. The 27-year-old had the best season of his career in 2022-23, scoring 40 goals and 87 points over a full 82-game slate.

But he's been even better this time around, leading the team with a ridiculous 19 goals and 51 points in 36 games. He's on pace to shatter career-highs across the board, and is on pace for upwards of 115 points in a true superstar campaign.

“I also believe that once commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed at the Board of Governors meeting in Seattle last month that the salary cap would increase by $4.2 million for next season, it emboldened Nylander’s camp,” speculated LeBrun. “They were asking for a percentage of the cap comparable to players in Nylander’s ballpark, and with the cap going up, it only helps justify $11 million or above.”

Despite being top-heavy and not having it translate to playoff success, there's nothing Toronto can do in this situation except pay William Nylander what he's worth. He's irreplaceable, and should continue to be a fan favorite north of the border for the foreseeable future.