In a surprising twist, the Toronto Maple Leafs may not be parting ways with John Tavares as many had expected. The star forward, who recently handed over the team’s captaincy to Auston Matthews, is reportedly still in the running for a contract extension, despite entering the final year of his seven-year, $77 million deal.
The change in leadership, announced on August 14, led to widespread speculation that Tavares’ time with the Maple Leafs was coming to an end. However, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, that assumption might be premature. During his recent “32 Thoughts Podcast,” Friedman hinted that Tavares could very well remain a part of the Maple Leafs’ future plans.
“One of the things that I think is still in play for Tavares is a potential extension,” Friedman revealed. “I don’t think it’s done. Even if it was, I don’t think they would overshadow Matthews… It’s been discussed. I don’t think that it’s impossible that we see Tavares get extended as a Toronto Maple Leaf.”
This revelation adds an intriguing layer to the Maple Leafs’ offseason narrative. Tavares, who recorded 29 goals and 36 assists for 65 points in 80 games last season, has been a central figure in Toronto’s lineup since joining the team in 2018. With his 34th birthday approaching on September 20 and over 1,000 NHL games under his belt, questions about his longevity and role with the team have naturally surfaced.
Despite these concerns, Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving remains confident in Tavares’ abilities. Speaking on The Fan Pregame on August 14, Treliving expressed his belief that Tavares still has much to offer on the ice.
“I think John still has a lot of hockey left in him. A lot of good hockey,” Treliving stated, emphasizing that Tavares’ skills and experience remain valuable assets for the team.
However, when pressed about the possibility of a contract extension, Treliving remained tight-lipped, noting that any discussions regarding Tavares’ future would be kept private. “As I do with any discussion that relates to contractual status, those will remain behind closed doors,” he added. “These discussions we had with regard to the captaincy are independent of any discussions we will have, or may have, with respect to contract negotiations.”
For his part, Tavares has made it clear that he wishes to stay in Toronto for the long haul. His decision to relinquish the captaincy to Matthews was, according to both Tavares and Treliving, a move made in the best interest of the team’s future.
“I just wanted to let him know what I thought about him and that I thought the time was now for him to take charge and be the captain and be the leader of our club and how ready he was for it,” Tavares said during a press conference on August 14. “He’s got my full support to continue what when I came here six years ago to do and wanting to bring the Stanley Cup back here to Toronto and finding a way to do that.”
Treliving echoed these sentiments, praising Tavares for his maturity and understanding of the team’s evolution. “This was not a hard conversation in the sense that John is a really smart guy,” Treliving said. “When you start having conversations about the team and the evolution, at the end of the day everybody has the same goal… The goal here is to win, and you are always finding different ways to push the process along.”
As the Maple Leafs prepare for the 2024-25 NHL season, set to open on October 9 against the Montreal Canadiens, the potential extension of Tavares could be a significant storyline to watch. While the team’s leadership may be shifting, Tavares’ impact on and off the ice appears far from over.
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