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The Only Way John Tavares Is Leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs

By Jeff Borsuk

May 12, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) works out prior to game six of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
May 12, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) works out prior to game six of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs organization has been in somewhat of a disarray.

After the Toronto Maple Leafs broke their 19 year streak of playoff disappointment, the organization decided that they needed a shakeup in the front office.

Team president, Brendan Shanahan, decided it was best for future  Leafs success to remove General Manager Kyle Dubas and have someone else build the roster for the 2023-24 season.

It will be now be the Leafs new GM, Brad Treliving’s responsibility to find a way to get the franchise deeper into the playoffs next year.

The Only Way John Tavares Is Leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs

What may be the biggest challenge for Treliving is how to deal with the Core Four.

Auston Matthews and William Nylander are set to become unrestricted free agents (UFA). That will most likely mean the need to negotiate contract extensions and working hard to retain the pair of star players. The other half of the Core Four, Mitch Marner and John Tavares, each have one additional year left on their respective contracts.

For Tavares, the conversation surrounding the team has been a little different than the others. That’s because there is a fan perception that it is the captain that has been holding the team back.

While Tavares has been an impact player, especially during the regular season where he averaged a point-per-game, his biggest downfall is his contract size. He earns $11 million per season, which according to Cap Friendly is eating 16-per cent of the Maple Leafs salary cap.

There is a pressing question that needs to be asked. If Tavares is holding back the Leafs, what can they do with him and his contract? The answer is simple. Nothing. That’s because he has a no-movement clause that lasts for the entirety of his deal.

The only thing Toronto can do is wait for Tavares’ contract to expire after the 2024-25 campaign. At that point, they may still be interested in keeping him to play in the organization, but on a far lesser AAV.

That would actually be the ideal situation for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They were fortunate when Tavares, a long-time Leafs fan, chose to come to Toronto in 2018. At the time, he was the most sought after UFA of his class. He could have gone anywhere he liked, but decided to come home and try to win a Cup with the Buds.

It’s possible that in 2025, at age 35, Tavares chooses the Leafs once more. After collecting a career compensation of $121.25 million before even taking endorsement earnings into account, he may no longer be looking for a big pay day. Instead, Tavares may wish to take a team-friendly deal in a similar fashion as Jason Spezza and Mark Giordano.

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Unless Tavares is unexpectedly injured, fans should expect the captain to remain an important part of the on-ice product. Hopefully, as he plays out his contract, he continues to produce at the same rate he did this past season.

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