Interesting development in John Tavares’ future in Toronto amidst outstanding performance

John Tavares took losing the Maple Leafs’ captaincy like a champ. After an injury during Toronto’s training camp and a rough start to the 2024-25 season, the veteran forward has been outstanding lately, putting up 9 goals and 16 points through 17 games.

This prompted TSN’s Mike Johnson to reveal some details he found out about Tavares’ pending contract negotiations with the Maple Leafs. With just a year left on his massive seven-year $77 million deal he signed as a free agent in 2018 in Toronto, Tavares has always expressed the desire to stay put and end his career with the Maple Leafs. Johnson reported that Toronto and Tavares are however in no hurry to hash out a deal at this time. This is what he told Jay Onrait on Sportscentre:

“I don’t think it’s coming sooner rather than later Jay, because there’s no need. The Leafs know John Tavares wants to stay in Toronto, they aren’t going to trade him, so you have the end of the year, there’s no rush here.”

Johnson also reminded everyone how obvious it is that JT will be taking a significant pay-cut.

“He will look to return to Toronto first and foremost, because he’s so set in here, so I don’t think there’s a rush to get it done. I don’t think the dollar value is going to fluctuate very much with a good or bad performance down the stretch so I think they can wait to the deadline, post deadline to next summer. But when the deal gets done I think he’s going to get around probably three years between $5M and $6M.”

Money remains the issue in Toronto, especially when considering Mitch Marner’s possible extension in the mix. The Maple Leafs are also on the hunt for a younger second-line center, which means Tavares could be appointed in the middle of the third line, and if that $5M or $6M per season fits him and the team, Tavares could get the ideal contract for him. And the Leafs keep a guy that still has lost in the tank at 36.

However, it sounds like we won’t know any time soon.