Report: Maple Leafs engaging in trade dialogue involving Nylander

The Toronto Maple Leafs have asked teams to indicate what they would offer in exchange for William Nylander, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

"Word is they have asked teams to inform them who teams or interested parties would not be willing to move, and also to begin preparing formal offers for the unsigned Toronto winger," Friedman said during Hockey Night in Canada's Headlines segment on Saturday night.

Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas declined to comment, Friedman added.

Nylander is a restricted free agent who's entrenched in a contract stalemate with the Maple Leafs. If the two sides can't agree on a deal by Dec. 1, Nylander will be forced to sit out the remainder of the season.

Toronto's Stanley Cup window is wide open, so going a full year without Nylander - or failing to receive assets in return for a dynamic winger - is certainly not ideal.

Both Nylander's camp and Dubas have said they'd prefer a long-term contract instead of a short-term bridge deal.

Dubas has previously stated he doesn't want to trade Nylander, but it appears that thought process might be changing because of the fast-approaching deadline.

Nylander, Toronto's eighth overall pick in 2014, is coming off back-to-back 61-point seasons with the Maple Leafs.