Tavares is entering the final year of his seven-year, $77 million contract with the Leafs in 2024-25.
Tavares is entering the final year of his seven-year, $77 million contract with the Leafs in 2024-25.
The wheels are in motion for a potential contract extension between Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares and the team, as reported by TSN’s Pierre Lebrun on Tuesday. Tavares is heading into the final year of his seven-year, $77 million contract in the 2024-25 season, and both sides have reportedly initiated discussions about his future with the organization.
According to LeBrun, the Leafs and Tavares’ representatives, led by agent Pat Brisson, have begun preliminary contract talks. Though nothing is imminent, the conversation has started. In an ‘Insider Trading’ video posted by TSN on Tuesday, Lebrun shared more insight into the current situation.
“Well, there is something happening from the point of view that there have been contract talks. There’s been back and fourth between Tavares’ camp led by agent Pat Brisson and the Leafs front office just to get the ball rolling. I don’t think anything is imminent, although I do hear that dialogue is supposed to pick up again in the near future.”
While discussions are ongoing, LeBrun stressed that neither side is rushing the process. "I don’t know if there is a huge rush from the team perspective. There is a mutual desire between the team and John Tavares to get something done at some point," LeBrun added. "John Tavares of course calls Toronto home, he’s raising a family in Toronto, but I think from the Leafs’ perspective, yeah, it’s something they want to get done.”
Followed up by a piece he wrote in The Athletic, released shortly after, Lebrun touched on these sentiments further, where he outlined some of the challenges ahead in finding common ground on a new deal.
“Obviously, the delicate dance here is finding a sweet spot on what a pay cut looks like from Tavares’ current $11 million AAV,” Lebrun wrote. “They’re not there yet, but the dialogue will continue. There’s mutual interest in continuing the relationship.”
The Leafs have a lot on their plate after the 2024-25 season, with Mitch Marner, a pending unrestricted free agent, likely at the forefront. With Tavares and Marner set to become unrestricted free agents, the club is projected to have nearly $30 million in cap space next summer, but it remains unclear what Tavares' next contract might look like.
Despite this, Tavares' desire to remain in Toronto is well-known. After passing the captaincy torch to Auston Matthews during an offseason press conference, Tavares told reporters, “It's not something I'm going to talk about or focus on every single day and whatnot (contract negotiations), but obviously I want to be here, I want to be here long-term and hopefully that happens.”
While eligible for an extension since July 1, no deal has materialized. Still, Tavares has made his intentions clear – he wants to remain a Maple Leaf for the foreseeable future. In the 2023-24 regular season, Tavares posted 29 goals and 36 assists for 65 points, with an additional two points (1G, 1A) in the playoffs. Over his six-year tenure in the blue and white, Tavares has 443 points (196G, 247A) in 478 regular and postseason appearances.
Related
News from THN.com
No Demko? No Problem. The Canucks Look Ready For The Regular Season
What The Golden Knights' Reported Resolution For Lehner's Salary Means For Their Cap Space