The Toronto Maple Leafs and pending unrestricted free-agent center John Tavares aren't close to agreeing on a new deal as of Saturday, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.
The Oakville, Ontario, native has said multiple times since the Maple Leafs' season ended that he wants to stay in Toronto. However, he's reportedly seeking an average annual value north of $5 million, unless the team is willing to add term to the deal.
"I know for a fact that, unless there was a lot of term attached to it, there's no way Tavares signs for $5 million a year with the Leafs," LeBrun said Thursday on TSN's Overdrive. "It's gonna have to be more than that."
Given the lack of centers available, Tavares could be in high demand if he hit the open market. While nothing's signed, Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett said Friday that he intends to stay with the Florida Panthers. After Bennett and Tavares, the list of pending UFA center options includes Mikael Granlund, Pius Suter, and Jack Roslovic.
Matt Duchene came off the market Thursday when he agreed to a four-year extension worth $ 4.5 million annually to stay with the Dallas Stars. Duchene is the same age (34) as Tavares and produced eight more points in seven more games last season. Tavares and Duchene also share the same agent in CAA's Pat Brisson.
Tavares recorded 38 goals and 36 assists in 75 games in 2024-25. He tallied 493 points in 515 appearances across the seven-year, $77-million contract he signed as a UFA with the Maple Leafs in 2018. His playoff production in Toronto - 31 points in 51 games - has paled in comparison to his regular-season output.
The Maple Leafs enter the offseason with $25.7 million in cap space. Fellow pending UFA Mitch Marner is widely expected to sign elsewhere. Restricted free-agent winger Matthew Knies is in line for a sizeable pay raise after potting 29 goals last campaign.
If Tavares leaves, the Maple Leafs' list of internal center options behind captain Auston Matthews includes Max Domi, Scott Laughton, Pontus Holmberg, and David Kampf.
