Per a report, the Leafs are considering a blockbuster deal involving William Nylander

Earlier in the day on Wednesday, the chatter surrounding Jakob Chychrun began to pick up, with a report surfacing from Phoenix Sports' Craig S. Morgan that Chychrun could be compiling a small list of teams to which he'd like to be traded.

We know that the Coyotes have had an interest in moving Chychrun for some time and we also know that their asking price is astronomical. That doesn't necessarily mean that a deal won't get done this summer. According to a new report, the Leafs could be contemplating a blockbuster deal for the 24-year-old blueliner.

The rumour comes from "Eklung" of Hockey Buzz, so it might be wise to take it with a grain of salt, but he has graded the rumour an "E4", which is typically reserved for trade discussions that have some real heat behind them and could be close. For reference, an "E5" rating is typically a done deal that hasn't broken quite yet.

So what might a Chychrun return look like for the Yotes? Well, according to Eklund, it's centered around William Nylander and additional pieces.



We do know that the Leafs have had interest in Chychrun in the past, as several reports have revealed that the Leafs were at least "kicked tires" on the 24-year-old defenseman. We also know that the Leafs can't afford any more first round hiccups. Such a trade would definitely change the dynamic in Toronto and would also save the Leafs some cap space in the process, as Chychrun has 3 years remaining at $4.6M on his deal, while Nylander has 2 years remaining at $6.96M per season.

Whether or not this talk materializes into something is another story entirely. Leafs GM Kyle Dubas really seems to have stuck to his guns with this core. Is another first round exit and an inconsistent 200-foot effort from Nylander the straw that broke the camel's back? I doubt it, but we'll see.