Maple Leafs, Rasmus Sandin contract talks reportedly 'going nowhere'

It appears there's been little-to-no movement on the Rasmus Sandin contract front.

The Maple Leafs blueliner, who became a restricted free agent more than a month ago, isn't any closer to inking an extension with Toronto than he was when the process began, at least according to his reps.

"Negotiations are going nowhere," Sandin’s agent Lewis Gross told Sportsnet's Luke Fox on Wednesday.

As for why a (seemingly) pretty straightforward negotiation is stuck in the mud, Gross didn't have much to add.

"I can’t answer that. You know, I don't usually say much (publicly) anyway. But they’re just going nowhere right now," the agent told Sportsnet.

The usual factors — dollars, years and all that fun stuff — are of course at the centre of the standstill, but on-ice circumstances like where exactly Sandin fits within Toronto's d-corps and his future role on the team's blue line are reportedly coming into play as well.

Sandin remains the Maple Leafs' lone restricted free agent after forward Pierre Engvall and fellow defenceman Timothy Liljegren were inked to one- and two-year deals, respectively, earlier in the offseason.

Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, predictably, wasn't too keen on divulging anything surrounding the negotiations with the public as both sides try to find a resolution.

"Negotiating contracts via the media have an adverse impact on player (and) team reputation and traditionally do not create resolutions to private matters," Dubas told Sportsnet Wednesday in response to Gross's remarks.

As Fox noted, Sandin isn't eligible for arbitration, so holding out — or signing an offer sheet — is really the only leverage the 22-year-old has right now.

"I’d rather not get into Rasmus's feelings," Gross said.

Gross said it's too early to discuss Sandin's training camp status and whether or not he'd be willing to participate without a new deal in hand.

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