Dubas confirms Maple Leafs don't want to trade Nylander

Kyle Dubas is making it clear that he doesn't intend to deal William Nylander.

The Toronto Maple Leafs general manager confirmed his stance regarding the restricted free agent forward to the Toronto Star's Kevin McGran on Friday.

"I’ve been asked: ‘Do you want to trade him right now?’ And the answer is, ‘No,’" Dubas said. “Circumstances can change. But it’s not in any plan or any discussion we’ve had that we’re going to trade any of these players."

Dubas added that both sides in the contract negotiation want more than just a bridge deal.

"The long term is where both parties, our camp and their camp, have been focused on,” the GM said.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported Friday that the Carolina Hurricanes called the Leafs inquiring about Nylander but were told he wasn't going to be traded.

The Leafs currently have a little more than $13 million in cap space, but Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner both have one season left before potentially becoming RFAs themselves.

Marner's agent Darren Ferris said Friday his client will delay talks if he doesn't have an extension by Wednesday night's regular-season opener against the Montreal Canadiens.