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“I think it’s amazing,” Nylander said. “I can’t wait to get on the ice with them and start playing games. It has been crazy watching them from home. They are dominating every game. It’s amazing to see the guys step up. It’s what great players do.”

It will be a happy Nylander who returns to Toronto. The contract, with an annual average value of slightly over $6.95 million US, is good for both sides. The term of six years especially gives Nylander some peace of mind.

“That was something I wanted,” Nylander said. “I didn’t want a bridge deal. I want to stay in Toronto with all the players that we have and we have a great team.

“I didn’t want to risk it by signing a bridge deal and not being able to stay, if that was going to happen.”

Nylander indicated the past few days were somewhat nerve-wracking as the deadline of 5 p.m. on Saturday loomed, though he knows the at-times tense negotiations are part of the business.

“It was a learning process for sure,” Nylander said. “I never thought it would take this long to come to a deal and that it would go down to the last whatever it was, five, 10 minutes before the deadline. That was an experience for sure I will never forget.

“Everything worked out good for both sides, so there is nothing to be bitter about. You want to be playing from the beginning of the season, but things happen for a reason and I am just so happy that it’s over.”