Is William Nylander next on chopping block after Karlsson blockbuster?

If the Toronto Maple Leafs want to get out of salary cap purgatory, it almost seems as if one of William Nylander or Mitch Marner will have to be traded this year or next.

With Marner locked up for the next two seasons, Nylander, who’s in the final year of his contract, appears to be the logical choice, which is why Bleacher Report’s Joe Yerdon believes he could be the next big name traded after the blockbuster deal between that sent reigning Vezina Trophy winner Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“Even though Nylander was one of [Toronto’s] best players in the postseason, he's often viewed as the most expendable name because he's not Auston Matthews and doesn't have a contract like the ones Marner and John Tavares have,” Yerdon wrote. “That doesn't make him bad, it just makes him an easier target on a team that's always a whisper away from the top of the salary cap. … The Leafs can't sign him to [the deal he wants], which would point toward his being moved at some point.”

Nylander, who is set to make $6.96M this season, is reportedly seeking a contract of $10M per year or more, according to Chris Johnston of Toronto Star Sports—a number that his offensive production (he's scored 30 goals in three of the last four seasons) indicates is right on par with the rest of the NHL.