The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2024-25 campaign got underway on Wednesday (Oct. 9) with an unfortunate 1-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. While they were able to bounce back with a 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 10, they have some other issues they need to take care of behind the scenes.
One of those issues is taking care of a new contract for veteran forward John Tavares, who is currently sitting at $11 million annually but may take a pay cut to return. In a recent report, it seems there is mutual interest between Tavares and the Maple Leafs on a contract extension. Luckily, it seems as though there are no hard feelings between Tavares and the Maple Leafs after they decided to name Auston Matthews the new captain, stripping Tavares of his duties.
The Maple Leafs have gotten out to a strong 2-1-0 start this season and it seems likely they’ll be able to maintain their strong start and turn it into a solid campaign. Tavares missed the last game due to an illness but had a goal in the first two games of the season. With a winning season being their main goal, Toronto will likely shift their focus soon to bringing Tavares back on a new contract. His leadership and veteran experience are both assets as the team looks to try and remain contenders for the foreseeable future.
Tavares’ New Contract Prediction & Career So Far
Tavares, who is 34 years old, started his NHL career with the New York Islanders after they selected him first overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. In the 2008-09 season before being drafted, he played in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Oshawa Generals as their captain and with the London Knights. In Oshawa, he scored 26 goals and added 28 assists for 54 points through 32 games. With the Knights, he scored 32 goals and added 18 assists for 50 points through 24 games, combining for 104 points through 56 games which comes out to a 1.86 points-per-game average.
In an impressive rookie season, Tavares played 82 games, scoring 24 goals and adding 30 assists for 54 points. He remained with the Islanders for almost a decade before signing with the Maple Leafs in the 2018 offseason. He was named captain in his second season with the team and remained with the duty for five seasons before Matthews took over. Through 1,111 games so far in his NHL career, Tavares has scored 457 goals and added 584 assists for 1,041 points, which comes out to a 0.94 points-per-game average.
Tavares’ two-way game remains strong while his offensive production has fallen off slightly. He is a strong fit with the Maple Leafs and has proven to be a leader on the ice even after having the “C” taken off of his jersey. When it comes to a new contract, it’s fair to assume his next cap hit will come in much cheaper than his current $11 million. Realistically, his new deal is a short-term, team-friendly contract. If I had to predict it, I would guess he signs a two-year extension worth $5.75 million annually.
Fans realize Tavares is slightly overpaid right now, but would welcome him back if he took a pay cut. As he continues to age, he likely falls into a depth role and a leader who helps the Maple Leafs stay on track as they try to push for their first Stanley Cup since 1967. His two-way game has always been elite, so hopefully, it can remain strong as he nears the end of his illustrious career.
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