Leafs re-sign John Tavares to four-year contract

Johnny Toronto is sticking around.

On Friday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that the team has re-signed forward John Tavares to a four-year contract extension. The deal, set to kick in next season, will carry an AAV of $4.38 million.

It’s quite the drop-off from Tavares’ last contract. Former general manager Kyle Dubas was able to sign the Mississauga native to a seven-year contract in 2018, with a cap hit of $11 million, which many believed to be a hometown discount at the time.

Yet, it’s been made clear that Tavares is willing to stay in Toronto. After the Maple Leafs were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, many wondered if that was the last time fans were going to see the 34-year-old in the blue and white. However, from dialogue reported by both Tavares and the Leafs, it became clear that the two sides were willing to make a deal.

With the veteran center making over $6 million less per year than his last contract, it’s evident that he was willing to do almost anything to stay home.

While he’s been one of the biggest names on the team, Tavares has been one of the team’s top offensive weapons. Along with scoring 47 goals in his first season with the team, the former first-overall pick has hit the 30-goal mark three times with the team, posting 80 or more points during the 2018-19 and 2022-23 campaigns.

Tavares was also the team captain for five seasons, becoming an alternate when Auston Matthews was named captain last August.

With Tavares signing on for four more years, the Leafs have him, Matthews, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly among the 12 names signed to NHL contracts through the 2027-28 season.

According to CapWages, the Leafs have less than $23 million in cap space for next season. They still have to work on the contract extension for forward Matthew Knies, while addressing other players with expiring contracts.