As the NHL offseason advances, the Toronto Maple Leafs are intensifying efforts to secure John Tavares with a new contract before his current $77 million deal expires on July 1. The team and the veteran forward remain engaged in discussions, but an agreement has yet to be reached, placing the talks under increasing pressure with the July deadline fast approaching.
According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, while daily conversations continue, no final resolution is imminent. He commented on TSN’s Insider Trading, stating,
“John Tavares still has not been signed. I checked in on him Tuesday, and they remain apart. But the good thing is, the dialogue continues.”
LeBrun also mentioned the effort being put into reaching a deal, saying,
“They’ve been talking almost every single day here, and they’re grinding away, trying to find a way to get John Tavares signed and extended in Toronto. But it’s not easy.”
Key Issues Center on Contract Term and Salary Expectations
The central challenge in talks appears to be aligning the contract length and salary demands to satisfy both Tavares and the Maple Leafs’ management. LeBrun underscored that if no agreement emerges soon, the veteran forward must prepare to enter free agency, potentially making his services available to other NHL teams as early as next week.
He warned,
“And it’s not a guarantee that they figure it out. So Tavares has to be ready to hit the market next week if they don’t reach a deal.”
This looming uncertainty comes despite Tavares’s strong performance last season, where he netted 38 goals and totaled 74 points over 75 regular-season games, underlining his value to the franchise.
Contract Comparisons Complicate Negotiations, Say Insider
LeBrun explained that recent NHL contract signings for players like Matt Duchene and Brock Nelson have added complexity to the Maple Leafs’ talks with Tavares. Different parties involved in negotiation view these comparable contracts differently, making consensus difficult to achieve.
From the perspective of Brad Treliving, Duchene’s four-year deal at $4.5 million annually appears favorable, prompting questions about why a similar contract isn’t feasible for Tavares. Conversely, Tavares’s agent, Pat Brisson, considers Brock Nelson’s three-year contract at $7.5 million per year to be a closer match, especially given Nelson’s lower point production last season.
LeBrun summarized the issue by saying,
“When you look at some of the recent comparables, there are two different stories being told…. So it’s finding that sweet spot and the term that has proven difficult so far on Tavares.”
The difficulty ultimately lies in balancing term length with salary expectations, a negotiation hurdle that remains unresolved.
Urgency of Resolution and Future Options
The Maple Leafs face a tight timeline to finalize John Tavares’s new contract before free agency begins, which could alter team dynamics significantly. Failure to extend the franchise player could lead to him exploring offers from other NHL teams, potentially impacting Toronto’s roster plans and competitive outlook in the upcoming season.
With talks ongoing but unresolved, the situation remains unsettled, keeping attention on the Maple Leafs’ front office as the deadline nears and options narrow.