John Tavares the Man the Myth the Legend

[Menzinger]

LeBrun on Overdrive saying last summer the Tavares camp told the Leafs they were willing to extend at $5m AAV.

Doesn't think that cap hit is now available. Speculates that Tavares being so adamant in his desire to want to stay in Toronto plays into the Leafs favor, as it hurts JT's leverage.

He's clearly desperate to stay. I'd expect an extension to happen (the fact is the Leafs need bodies down the middle, even if they sign or trade for another centre), but the number is seemingly going to be at a very team friendly level.

Those 6.5-7.5 guess are now long just fiction

 

[Superstar]

LeBrun on Overdrive saying last summer the Tavares camp told the Leafs they were willing to extend at $5m AAV.

Doesn't think that cap hit is now available. Speculates that Tavares being so adamant in his desire to want to stay in Toronto plays into the Leafs favor, as it hurts JT's leverage.

I don't think JT is too concerned about making too much money anymore...if he could keep playing as a Leaf by taking a significant paycut, he will...he's already made his millions on his last contract...I think he's also buying some goodwill with the organization when he retires, as he could also work for the Leafs then.

 

[NVious]

LeBrun on Overdrive saying last summer the Tavares camp told the Leafs they were willing to extend at $5m AAV.

Doesn't think that cap hit is now available. Speculates that Tavares being so adamant in his desire to want to stay in Toronto plays into the Leafs favor, as it hurts JT's leverage.

Tavares is a last option at a low cap hit, wait and see how other FAs play out.

Or he can take a 2-3 year deal at an extremely low cost right now (league min to a few mill).

Guy had 2 goals/0 assists in his last 9 playoff games aka same number of points McMann had in his last 2 games.

 

[Tak7]

He's clearly desperate to stay. I'd expect an extension to happen (the fact is the Leafs need bodies down the middle, even if they sign or trade for another centre), but the number is seemingly going to be at a very team friendly level.

Those 6.5-7.5 guess are now long just fiction

Think so too - I do wonder whether John is a candidate for one of those salary deferred contracts where they keep the cap hit down significantly, but he still gets some shiny coin.

 

[hullsy47]

Think so too - I do wonder whether John is a candidate for one of those salary deferred contracts where they keep the cap hit down significantly, but he still gets some shiny coin.

Why not offer him 6 years cheaper with a clause in it he retires when he cant contribute to the top 3 lines and the remaining years give him a front office job

 

[Larcos_Unal]

FFS we don't need Tavares, we need people with balls who can skate and raise their level in the playoffs.
JT's wheels have never been average, just wait as he gets to his mid-30s. He's gonna make Jason Allison look like Pavel Bure.

 

[kevsh]

You can't bring him back, no matter what the deal is. 2 years @ $3M? Nope.

He was absolutely invisible for most of the Florida series and wasn't a factor overall. And he's only getting older, slower and less impactful.

So the counter could be, I'm crazy for not wanting him even at $3M. For that cap hit he could be the 3C and they could afford a legit 2C. You should still say no, unless you want your 3C to be completely useless in the playoffs, as he will be.

Last point: The Leafs need to move on from as much of this core as possible. Unfortunately, Marner & Tavares are the only two they can realistically move on from right now. It's a start though.

 

[Tak7]

Why not offer him 6 years cheaper with a clause in it he retires when he cant contribute to the top 3 lines and the remaining years give him a front office job

CBA wont allow deals like this.

 

[nuck]

People speculating Tavares will sign for Spezza-type money are loco. I'd say $7 million per is the starting point. If that's too rich for the Leafs, he'll go elsewhere. He might take a bit of a haircut to stay, but not that much.

He didn't help his case hitting that wall in the playoffs. He got his bell rung by Zub and that ended his offense in that series. Then he took that head shot from Rodrigues in game 3. I think that stuff had more to do with his lack of production this playoff than his foot speed but just as his regular season lifted him up this works against him. I don't know what he gets but it won't be sub $5M and I can't see it as much as $7M.

 

[Leafsfan74]

I wanted him to stay, moreso than Marner, but the more I think about it the more I believe it might be best to walk away unless the salary cap hit is very low. I kept my support for him even when he went through cold stretches as captain.

He's made a great amount of money during his career. I'm not sure even $5M a year makes sense for the Leafs direction to be honest when you can totally revamp the forward group in Brad/Berubes image. I respected his decision to come here but he never brought the Leafs to the Promised Land which is what he was brought here to do.

Some are going to disagree with me but it's not about just goals. $5M would seem reasonable, but the Leafs could surely find a player who scored 25 goals on Nylanders line, plays a heavy two-way game and is a big playoff performer. Hopefully someone who has won a Cup in the past.

I'd rather the Leafs have a two-year plan than just go nuts for another year by year strategy. They let Marner and JT walk, they don't need to spend to the cap limit this year, spread out cap across two years of UFAs, DOn't forget, McDavid is scheduled to be a UFA in a years time.

They need some guys a little but younger who play a different style built for playoffs. If he were willing to be paid like a 3rd Line Center, which is where I would see him on a legitimate Cup team, then so be it.

Otherwise, Leafs need to plan for a different course, finally after 11 years under Shanahan, If I am JT, I think of the endorsement possibilities and more importantly, the potential to take a big cut to stay home and allow Leafs to bring in some serious Gamers up front.

He knows more than any of these Leafs what a Cup would mean in Toronto, for all their legacies, after a long career he can enter the HOF as a Leaf.

There are only so many houses and cars you can buy, you can't buy a Cup

 

[banks]

I love Tavares. One of my all-time favourite Leafs. I don't think he's been the problem, I don't think the team needs to hurry and move on from him, and I certainly don't think he'd be easy to replace if he walked.

That said, I want change for this forward group so, so bad. I'm expecting (praying) that Marner is gone. And that's not really enough. So if Tavares is expecting market value on an extension, then they should look elsewhere just for the sake of change. If he's back, it needs to be at a price that shows the team is going to make sacrifices to build a winner, not maximize individual earnings.

 

[WilliamInLondon]

Wyatt Johnston signed for $8.4M X 5 effectively buying up 1 year of UFA.

Matthew Knies is scheduled to be an UFA in 2030. I'd offer him $8.25M X 8 as a comparable to Johnston. Roughly the same amount (LW vs. C), but buying up 3 years of UFA. This would take greater priority for me over keeping old man Tavares around who faded badly against the Panthers.

Like someone else said, if there's money left over, I'd sign him to a 1 year X $5M or something. Or you do 2 years X $3.75M AAV or 3 years X $3M AAV.

 

[Aashir]

he literallycouldn't keep up in the second round

he had two points in 7 games

it's sub 5 for me otherwise he can go

ideally we'd get a 3x3 with deferred salaries bringing it down a bit and then he gets LTIR'd in the last year or so

 

[ashs]

If he's willing to take a cut sign him. The team as a whole didn't perform. Surround the core with tougher dogs.

 

[Leafsfan74]

If he's willing to take a cut sign him. The team as a whole didn't perform. Surround the core with tougher dogs.

What would be reasonable though? I'm thinking 3 years x $3M with a limited trade clause in the final year of say 10 teams.

That's how critical the next two years are with a one time opportunity to change course with so much cap space to be made available if they play their cards right.

All the Leafs have as an "asset" is their cap space. They dont have First Rounders or otherwise, so they MUST leverage this cap space properly.

 

[ULF_55]

If he's willing to take a cut sign him. The team as a whole didn't perform. Surround the core with tougher dogs.

I'm up for signing the best free agent center for the Leafs 2nd. line, and must accept less than $7mm per season.

If someone can list the options, I'll vote on it.

 

[hotpaws]

You can't bring him back, no matter what the deal is. 2 years @ $3M? Nope.

He was absolutely invisible for most of the Florida series and wasn't a factor overall. And he's only getting older, slower and less impactful.

So the counter could be, I'm crazy for not wanting him even at $3M. For that cap hit he could be the 3C and they could afford a legit 2C. You should still say no, unless you want your 3C to be completely useless in the playoffs, as he will be.

Last point: The Leafs need to move on from as much of this core as possible. Unfortunately, Marner & Tavares are the only two they can realistically move on from right now. It's a start though.

completely agree with you on Tavares and i'll add i have no idea how anyone could watch him play in the playoffs especially against Florida and say ''geez we have to have this guy back'' !

he was an anchor playing besides our leading point getter and i have no idea what people think he'll accomplish even if we move his down the lineup where they'll be no one to carry him

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

I'm up for signing the best free agent center for the Leafs 2nd. line, and must accept less than $7mm per season.

If someone can list the options, I'll vote on it.

Is he still a good C beyond faceoffs, though? Defensive tire fire and can't really keep up in the transition game. Last one out, last one in

 

[ULF_55]

Is he still a good C beyond faceoffs, though? Defensive tire fire and can't really keep up in the transition game. Last one out, last one in

No problem, now that list of available 2nd. line centers?

 

[Budz]

He was miscast as a 2C.
Needs to be a 3C or middle 6 - Winger.

5.5 million.

 

[Clark4Ever]

You can't bring him back, no matter what the deal is. 2 years @ $3M? Nope.

He was absolutely invisible for most of the Florida series and wasn't a factor overall. And he's only getting older, slower and less impactful.

So the counter could be, I'm crazy for not wanting him even at $3M. For that cap hit he could be the 3C and they could afford a legit 2C. You should still say no, unless you want your 3C to be completely useless in the playoffs, as he will be.

Last point: The Leafs need to move on from as much of this core as possible. Unfortunately, Marner & Tavares are the only two they can realistically move on from right now. It's a start though.

I think he has the skill set to still be be impactful on the wing. He is strong on the boards and can still snipe.

 

[Leafsfan74]

I think he has the skill set to still be be impactful on the wing. He is strong on the boards and can still snipe.

To me he is best fitted for 3rd line.

There are enough pieces available in UFA to fill the forward group up with the chance to improve in next years UFA crop.

They will have this defense together for these two years. I'd look to move from Reilly, go for a more cost effective, better +/- guy. If they can find a guy with better defensive capabilities who is willing to fire from the point once in awhile, that would be ideal.

They don't need to find every gem and overpay in one offseason. Have a two year window of using their cap space. That's how I would do it.

If McMann and Knies improve, that is like adding another half player. McMann has to want to be an impactful playoff player. With his speed, shot and reasonable size, I'd say "put on 4-5 pounds of muscle and prepare for a net driving season".

I don't expect them to win the division next season, hell maybe NJ will. They just need to get in and have a team of Gamers to go on a run.

 

[ULF_55]

To me he is best fitted for 3rd line.

There are enough pieces available in UFA to fill the forward group up with the chance to improve in next years UFA crop.

They will have this defense together for these two years. I'd look to move from Reilly, go for a more cost effective, better +/- guy. If they can find a guy with better defensive capabilities who is willing to fire from the point once in awhile, that would be ideal.

They don't need to find every gem and overpay in one offseason. Have a two year window of using their cap space. That's how I would do it.

If McMann and Knies improve, that is like adding another half player. McMann has to want to be an impactful playoff player. With his speed, shot and reasonable size, I'd say "put on 4-5 pounds of muscle and prepare for a net driving season".

I don't expect them to win the division next season, hell maybe NJ will. They just need to get in and have a team of Gamers to go on a run.

The question in my mind is whether the Wild sign both Boeser and Nelson?

Who does that leave for 2nd. line center?

 

[Trapper]

I'm up for signing the best free agent center for the Leafs 2nd. line, and must accept less than $7mm per season.

If someone can list the options, I'll vote on it.

Available in 2026:
1. McDavid
2. Eichel

 

[ULF_55]

Available in 2026:
1. McDavid
2. Eichel

Sign and trade ...

marner for Eichel

With some reluctance ( ) ...