Tavares has made it clear he wants to remain with the Maple Leafs beyond this season.

Even at 34 years old, John Tavares is doing what he's done over his entire career: Average a near point-per-game pace.

The forward has appeared in 21 games with the Maple Leafs this season, scoring nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points. He's a big element of Toronto's equation for success and has been relied upon even more lately, with captain Auston Matthews out.

Centering the Maple Leafs' top line, Tavares has scored nine points in his last nine games while helping the squad assemble a 7-2-0 record as Matthews deals with an upper-body injury.

At the beginning of the year, the forward expressed his desire to remain in Toronto beyond this season. Although he didn't want to discuss contract negotiations, Tavares hoped a deal would get done.

"I want to be here long-term and hopefully that happens," Tavares said in September.

According to The Athletic's Chris Johnston, Tavares' agent and the Maple Leafs held talks early in the season, however, they haven't settled on a number.

"Leafs management and his agent Pat Brisson of CAA Hockey have engaged in a series of discussions throughout the fall, according to league sources briefed on those talks, but haven’t yet landed on an extension that works for all involved," Johnston reported.

Johnston labels Claude Giroux and Anze Kopitar, two players similar in age, as compatible for Tavares. Ottawa signed Giroux to a three-year contract with an annual average value of $6.5 million in July 2022. The LA Kings extended Kopitar with a two-year, $14 million contract (with a $7 million AAV) this past July.

Both have put up similar numbers to Tavares over their careers.

Could the Maple Leafs try to get Tavares below $6 million? It's possible, but Giroux and Kopitar are the perfect comparables for someone like Tavares, who can still play a key part in an NHL team.

Johnston added that he wouldn't be surprised if the Maple Leafs deferred some of Tavares' money, similar to what they reportedly did with Jake McCabe earlier in the season.

Deferring some money would allow Tavares to come in at a lower AAV. Johnston says both sides "are believed to be open to exploring a similar type of structure for Tavares."

Tavares joined the Maple Leafs in 2018, signing a lucrative seven-year, $77 million contract after meeting with several NHL clubs. He has 193 goals and 246 assists for 439 points in 461 games during his time in Toronto.

The forward is on pace for 34 goals and 42 assists by season's end with the Maple Leafs. Tavares also hopes this year brings more playoff success to the club.

"It's been a very good off-season and I'm as driven as I've ever been to play the way that I have over the course of my career," said Tavares during his season-opening media availability. 

"Obviously go out there and prove myself once again. Help contribute to our club, our team on and off the ice as I always have since I've come here and really since I've entered the league."