The Toronto Maple Leafs announced a contract extension for a major piece of their “core four” on Friday.
The deal didn’t go to pending unrestricted free agent Mitch Marner, as some Toronto fans may have hoped, but instead to centerman and former captain John Tavares, who signed a four-year extension worth $17.52 million.
The 34-year-old alternate captain’s deal has an average annual value of $4.38 million, well below his $8.3 million market value, according to The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn.
Tavares recorded 74 points (38g, 36a) in 75 games during the 2024-25 campaign, marking a nine-point improvement from the prior season. He has hit the 70-point plateau in four of the seven seasons he has played with the Maple Leafs to this point.
Tavares took to Instagram to express his feelings about being back with the team.
“Coming to Toronto 7 years ago has been better than I ever anticipated,” Tavares wrote. “The challenge of helping bring the Cup back to the many generations of Leafs Fans and Leafs Nation is an incredible opportunity that pushes myself and my teammates everyday. TO is an incredible place to play and it’s an honour to pull on the Maple Leaf and wear the blue and white. I’m thrilled to announce that I’m committed to four more years! My family and I are excited to continue our journey here in Toronto. The best is yet to come! Go Leafs Go!”
After a ninth consecutive season failing to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, the Maple Leafs are facing several tough decisions this summer about whether to run things back with the same core or shake their roster up in an effort to break their early playoff exit streak. Friday’s agreement appears to answer part of that question in favor of the former.
Tavares, who was set to become a UFA this summer, has continued to perform at a star level as he enters his age-35 season. He’s averaged 74 points per season over the last four years, scoring 27 or more goals in each. Retaining a player at that level of consistency at a bargain price is significant, but it’s not the first time Tavares has taken a team-friendly deal to play in Toronto.
In 2018, Tavares signed a seven-year, $77 million contract after departing the New York Islanders. The breakdown of the deal revealed that he was paid less than a million dollars in salary, with the remainder being made up of bonuses, significantly lessening the team’s salary cap hit over that span.
Tavares’ new deal will see him represent the Maple Leafs through the 2028-29 season. His teammate and captain, Auston Matthews, is also locked in through the 2026-27 campaign.
