Will John Tavares remain a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs after his contract expires? According to the latest from The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, it’s not looking like a sure thing. In his NHL rumblings column published on Saturday, LeBrun revealed that the two sides are not close on finalizing a contract extension.

Tavares is finishing a seven-year contract that paid him an average annual value of $11 million per season. It has been widely believed that the 34-year-old will sign for a lower annual value than his previous contract, but how much lower is still to be determined. The former Leafs captain finished the 2024-25 season with 38 goals. After his team’s elimination in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, an emotional Tavares made it clear his preference was to remain in Toronto. However, the discrepancy between his desired salary and his market value has likely complicated things.

While Toronto wants to retain its second-line center, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving must also allocate money to restricted free agent Matthew Knies, who is due for a massive increase from his recently expired entry-level contract. The market for centers provides important context.

‘I Love It Here, I’ve Said I Want To Stay’: John Tavares Reaffirms Commitment To Maple Leafs Amid Contract Uncertainty Following Loss To Avalanche After rumors surfaced following the NHL’s trade deadline that the Toronto Maple Leafs had considered trading Mitch Marner to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Mikko Rantanen, John Tavares was asked about his own future with the team following Toronto’s 7-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, multiple teams feel Tavares could get something similar to the three-year, $7.5 million AAV extension that Brock Nelson just signed with the Colorado Avalanche. Steven Stamkos is another close comparable in age, position, and leadership; he signed a four-year deal worth $8 million per season with the Nashville Predators last year.

The notion of a "hometown discount" has been pitched, where Tavares might accept a lower annual salary spread out over a longer term, similar to what the Leafs did with defenseman Chris Tanev. Of course, Toronto has to weigh who would fill the void if Tavares signs elsewhere. The premium for centers on the open market is high, with not many prime choices available to fill a second-line role.

The next week should be revealing, showing how committed Tavares is to remaining a Leaf and how eager the club is to keep him.

Maple Leafs Reportedly Disappointed To Miss Out On Former Prospect Mason Marchment The Toronto Maple Leafs were interested in bringing one of their former prospects back home.

Report: Former Maple Leaf Defenseman TJ Brodie Being Bought Out By Blackhawks Former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman <a href="https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/player/tj-brodie-8474673">TJ Brodie</a> is reportedly being placed on waivers by the Chicago Blackhawks for the purposes of a buyout.

'The People Wanna See It???' Is Brad Marchand Teasing Maple Leafs Or Panthers? NHL Star Plays Both Sides Of Free Agency Speculation Fresh off a Stanley Cup victory with the Florida Panthers, Brad Marchand is already stirring the pot, and his latest target appears to be the Toronto Maple Leafs.