Attention hockey fanatics! John Tavares has secured his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs, signing a four-year contract extension. The official announcement came on Friday, confirming a deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $4.38 million. Tavares, who was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, will now remain in Toronto.
Tavares is coming off one of his most productive regular seasons, accumulating 38 goals and 74 points in 75 games. This was the second time in three years that Tavares surpassed the 30-goal mark. The center, 34 years old, originally signed with the Leafs as a free agent on July 1, 2018. He was the team captain from 2019 to 2024, relinquishing the role to Auston Matthews. Originally from the Toronto area, Tavares has established roots with his young family there and made it clear during the past season that he did not want to play anywhere else, but rather wanted a fair deal in terms of term and money. Ultimately, Tavares accepted less than he could have negotiated on the open market to stay in Toronto. Keeping Tavares on the team was a key item on the Leafs’ to-do list in the offseason. It’s unlikely that Toronto will re-sign Mitch Marner to a contract extension, which will impact the depth of their top six forwards. Retaining Tavares as their number two center behind Matthews will help stabilize the Leafs up front. Now that Tavares is off the board, there are a limited number of available centers with expiring contracts. Sam Bennett, Mikael Granlund, Pius Suter, and Claude Giroux remain some of the most prominent names without new contracts. The NHL’s free agency officially opens on Tuesday at noon.Arriving in Toronto 7 years ago has been better than I ever imagined. The challenge of helping bring the Cup to the many generations of fans and to the Leafs Nation is an incredible opportunity that drives me and my teammates every day. Toronto is an incredible place to play and it’s an honor to put on the maple leaf and wear blue and white. I am delighted to announce that I am committed for four more years! My family and I are excited to continue our journey here in Toronto. The best is yet to come!
John Tavares
