John Tavares, Maple Leafs Agree on Extension Price, Says Insider

According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Toronto Maple Leafs and veteran forward John Tavares are close on a new extension, with some finer details all that needs to be done. He writes in a recent post, “There has been chatter of a three-year extension in place that requires some finetuning, but nobody will confirm. His AAV will drop, likely in the $7 million range.”

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Tavares for three more seasons at $7 million is intriguing. Some will say this is a fair number based on his production. Others will argue this isn’t exactly “team-friendly” given that Tavares doesn’t want to play anywhere else, he’s getting older and his role on the team will decrease each season of the deal.

Some fans are wondering why the Leafs aren’t trying to squeeze Tavares more, or why this is something they’re looking to finalize mid-season. Are they trying to set the market or beat what other pending UFAs sign for?

What Is Fair Value For Tavares?

This is going to be a debated deal if it is accurate. $7 million per season is $4 million less than Tavares is making now. And, with the NHL having revealed the salary cap expectations for the next three years, this isn’t a number that would cripple the Leafs in terms of signing other players, specifically Mitch Marner. However, $7 million is a higher number for a 34-year-old who doesn’t want to leave.

Tavares is a point-per-game player, so the number isn’t wild. But, his situation is different than so many other pending UFAs. Potential uncertainty around what players will be worth under the new cap, mixed with the organization trying to be respectful of their former captain all probably played into these negotiations.

The belief is that his deal might have fallen more around the $5 million mark per season. The increase in the cap may have dramatically affected things.

Next: Is It Time the Maple Leafs Traded Max Domi?