The Toronto Maple Leafs should just go ahead and let former captain John Tavares “explore” free agency. According to insider Chris Johnston and The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel, John Tavares is looking to pass on signing a contract extension by this year’s trade deadline, instead focusing on testing free agency.
So, the only thing Toronto Maple Leafs fans should have to say about that is: Good luck with that.
Yes, Tavares is having a resurgent season at 34. He’s on pace to rebound from a relatively down year last season. But Tavares needs to face reality. He’s not the top free agent he was in 2018.
At the time, it was an exciting thought to get Tavares on the team. He looked like the right type of player to support Auston Matthews as he blossomed into the star he would become. Now, the Toronto Maple Leafs are Auston Matthews’ team. Whether Tavares is happy with that or not is beside the point.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Should Just Let Tavares Explore Free-Agency
So, if Tavares wants to test free agency, he should be free to do at will. There is no reason why the Leafs should feel compelled to sign him now. Talk of a $6 to $7 AAV three to four-year deal is the best Tavares is going to get from a contending team.
Can you see the Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers or Edmonton Oilers giving Tavares that sort of deal?
Only a truly desperate team looking to turn things around like the Chicago Blackhawks or Pittsburgh Penguins could pony up that sort of money. Otherwise, Tavares may have no choice but to come back with his tail tucked between his legs.
So, the good news is that Tavares’ cap hit is finally coming off the books. That means the Leafs are suddenly flush with cap space.
In today’s NHL, $11 million can go a long way toward helping round out a roster.
Though losing Tavares will hurt, using his money on a star player in his mid-twenties will revitalize the Leafs roster. With the trade deadine approaching, there is no way to know who will be available in the summer, but the likes of Mikko Rantanen and Sam Bennett are possibilities.
The bottom line is that while the Leafs should be interested in bringing Tavares back, they should only do so at a sensible cost. Signing him before the season is over and they know just how much change is necessary is ill-advised, however.
The most important thing is winning and that means waiting until the off-season to worry about Tavares.