Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares made it clear that he prefers to get an extension signed before the trade deadline on March 7th.
With the Leafs set to take on the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, Tavares spoke with Sportsnet’s Luke Fox regarding the status of his expiring contract and where his mind is at. While he understands that general manager Brad Treliving currently has a lot on his plate, Tavares would like to finish the business early if possible.
“I certainly would love to get it done. I mean, obviously the club has a lot going on. It’s not just about me,” Tavares said. “I know management will do what they have to do at that time of year and whatnot. So, if we have the opportunity to get it done, I’d love to do that. If not, when that time comes, we’ll get there. So, just looking forward to continuing my journey here as a Leaf — and obviously want it to continue past this season.”
The idea of Tavares wanting to ink an extension with the Leafs has been well-documented throughout the past few months. The Athletic’s Chris Johnston reported on November 28th that the two sides have been talking regularly while adding Tavares has little interest in hitting the open market. On December 17th, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli mentioned that this deal could get done in the middle of the season. Johnston followed up on January 7th that Tavares and the Leafs were engaged in ongoing discussions, with the idea of deferred salary being seriously considered akin to what defenceman Jake McCabe agreed to.
While the idea of Tavares being re-signed during the season may not be universally agreed upon, it is clear that all signs point to #91 remaining in Toronto beyond this season. Tavares’ comments on Tuesday are noteworthy because it is the first time he has spoken publically about wanting to get a deal done sooner rather than later.
“Not a little bit. He is a pro. He just does his thing,” head coach Craig Berube said on if Tavares’ expiring contract has impacted his day-to-day routine. “It is every day. He comes to work. He does his routine. He has it down. He has played extremely well for us. I don’t think he thinks about it, to be honest with you. I haven’t noticed any of that with him.”
It remains to be seen if Treliving will get a Tavares extension done before the trade deadline given he has other areas to attend to. Apart from trying to improve their depth down the middle and perhaps bring in another defenceman, the Leafs have two other pending free agents in Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies that Treliving will need to prioritize first.
Marner’s decision is the most important of the two given the fact that which direction they choose will dictate the next few years of the team’s contention window. Knies will no doubt be critical as well, though he is an RFA at season’s end and the only real concern they will have to contend with being potential offer sheets coming his way.
Tavares is very likely to be sticking around beyond the 2024-25 season given he has no desire to play elsewhere and has enjoyed his time donning the Blue and White. It also helps that he remains an impactful forward with 48 points (22 goals and 26 assists) in 50 games going into Tuesday’s tilt against the Bruins.
Until the deal gets finalized, Tavares will continue to focus his efforts on doing his best to help the Leafs in their pursuit of finally winning a Stanley Cup.
“Where our focus is, we’re just trying to help the team and get as many wins as we can and earn a spot in the playoffs and obviously try to make a deep run,” he said. “So, when the time comes, be ready for that. And I think I’ve been around long enough, just go out there about my business and try to impact the team as best I can.”
