Mitch Marner isn’t the only one that the Toronto Maple Leafs have to worry about leaving this offseason. With John Tavares, one of the better veterans in the NHL, on the free agency market, the Maple Leafs could lose two of their better players this offseason.
Tavares should be much easier to keep around, mainly due to the price. It remains uncertain whether the Maple Leafs will finalize a deal and whether Tavares wants to stay, as there are still several factors that need to be resolved.
However, The Athletic recently predicted that he’ll get a three-year, $7.93 million AAV deal. That would come out to around $23.7 million over the duration of his contract.
“Tavares is a reluctant free agent who is still hoping to work things out in Toronto. The veteran will draw multiple suitors if he hits the open market. Tavares is coming off a season in which he drank from the fountain of youth, scoring the most goals (38) among any player in this free-agent class and the third-most points (74). It’s a reflection of the fact that, while his skating (never a strength) may not blow anyone away, his hockey IQ and hands are as sharp as ever.
“Tavares remains incredibly driven when it comes to his preparation, and he’s deadly when the puck is on his stick around the net. He’s also elite in the faceoff dot. When you couple that package of skills with his impressive resume and positive dressing-room impacts, you have a unique player,” they wrote.
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It’ll be as simple as Tavares either getting this money from the Maple Leafs or another team giving him that type of contract.
After posting 74 points during the regular season, there’s reason to believe he’s set to get a decent payday in the coming months.
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