John Tavares has been outstanding for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. In 26 games, he has tallied 12 goals and 11 assists, totaling 23 points. Despite skepticism and claims that he’s slowing down or no longer a top player on the team, Tavares has risen to the occasion when it matters most, proving he still has plenty to offer.
John Tavares finds himself in an intriguing situation as he approaches unrestricted free agency at the end of the season. He could explore the open market to gauge his value, or he might choose to re-sign with his hometown team, the Maple Leafs, potentially at a reduced rate, in pursuit of a Stanley Cup. According to reports from Chris Johnston, contract discussions between Tavares and Toronto have already begun. The key question now is: what will the terms of his new deal look like?
Tavares’ New Deal
$15 million/3 years
According to Chris Johnston’s report in The Athletic, the Maple Leafs and John Tavares are actively working on a contract extension. There’s speculation that the deal might mirror the structure used for Jake McCabe, where some of the money is deferred beyond the contract’s end. Johnston also noted that Tavares could aim for a deal somewhere between Claude Giroux’s $5 million annual value and Anže Kopitar’s $7 million. Considering Toronto’s need to preserve cap space to address other roster needs, a likely outcome could see Tavares signing for around $5 million per season on a three-year term.
A three-year, $15 million deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $5 million would be a solid arrangement for both John Tavares and the Maple Leafs. The additional term helps bring the AAV down from $5.5 million or even $6 million while still offering Tavares a fair payday. Tavares shares a similar mindset to Jason Spezza, prioritizing staying with his childhood team, even if it means taking a pay cut. The key difference, however, is that while Spezza was at the tail end of his career, Tavares has demonstrated this season that he still has plenty left to contribute, particularly as a valuable middle-six forward.
From the Leafs’ perspective, they might aim for a deal in the range of $3.5 to $4 million per year over three years. This could be achievable, especially if some money is deferred, but Tavares is likely to seek closer to $4.5 to $5 million annually.
While the final numbers remain uncertain, it seems increasingly likely that Toronto will extend Tavares a contract offer, hoping to retain him at a reduced AAV compared to his current deal.
