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The Likely Terms of John Tavares' Next Deal Have Been Leaked by a Trusted Insider
Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares is about to become a free agent, although the Leafs franchise would love to get a deal as soon as humanly possible.
John Tavares and the Toronto Maple Leafs have been together since 2018, and while the playoff results have not been there, the two at least appreciate each other greatly.
Heading into free agency, there is a sense that Tavares will be returning to the Maple Leafs, although there has been much debate over what the contract is going to look like.
There is speculation about how long the former captain will re-sign for, and whether or not his contract will be an expensive one for the Leafs' books.
Is John Tavares returning to Toronto?
Today, NHL insider Chris Johnston was on TSN 1050 FirstUp, where he noted that it is looking like Tavares will sign for a total of six seasons, much like Yanni Gourde.
However, his AAV is going to be sizable. Fans should expect the centerman to make more than $5 million per season, which is a tough pill to swallow given how he's 34 years old.
On Tavares, CJ says it should look like Yanni Gourde's deal (six years), although it'll definitely be above $5M AAV
Having said that, Tavares scored 38 goals last season and had a grand total of 74 points. With that in mind, it is no surprise that he would demand a hefty contract.
We're sure the Leafs were banking on him to have a steadier decline, but that never happened. Instead, the forward proved that age is just a number.
In the coming days and weeks, we should get more clarity on the Tavares contract and whether or not he is actually going to sign.
The closer we get to July 1st, the more entertaining this is going to become. Additionally, the more nervous fans will get, as other teams look to make a move.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 16 | 347 ANSWERS The Likely Terms of John Tavares' Next Deal Have Been Leaked by a Trusted Insider Do you like a long-term deal for John Tavares and the Toronto Maple Leafs? | ||
| YES | 195 | 56.2 % |
| NO | 152 | 43.8 % |
| List of polls | ||