The Toronto Maple Leafs finally did it. They aren't dissolving the "Core Four" entirely and are keeping an integral part of the team's offense.
Announced by the team on Friday, the Maple Leafs have officially re-signed captain John Tavares to a four-year contract extension worth $17.52 million, carrying an average annual value of $4.38 million.
NEWS: John Tavares signs a four-year extension with the #leafs carrying a $4.38M AAV.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 27, 2025
Tavares, 34, is coming off a strong season in which he was able to score 38 goals and 74 points in 75 games. His 38 goals tied for the second-highest total of his career, a testament to his enduring offensive prowess. The Mississauga native has now amassed 1,114 points in 1,184 NHL games, split between the New York Islanders and the Maple Leafs.
This deal marks a significant pay cut from his previous seven-year, $77 million contract, that originally landed him in Toronto as an unrestricted free agent, but it reflects a mutual desire between Tavares and the Leafs to keep him in his hometown while maintaining cap flexibility. General manager Brad Treliving had expressed optimism about reaching a deal, noting that both sides shared a commitment to making it work, just a few days ago.
According to Chris Johnston, Tavares's new contract will have $2 million of deferred salary, which forces the cap hit of his contract to be lower. Deferring salary to do exactly what Toronto did with this contract -- and Auston Matthews's contract not too long ago -- is about to be banned under the new CBA that kicks in for the 2026-27 season.
Thankfully, the Leafs were able to secure Tavares under contract before he was going to hit the open market next Tuesday, making him available to sign with any team he wanted in the NHL. According to The Athletic's Pierre Lebrun, multiple teams were going to offer Tavares significant contracts, and he specifically mentioned that the 34-year-old center could have received a two-year, $16-million deal if he reached free agency on July 1.
While the term is not the most ideal, and there is the substantial question of whether or not Tavares will be up to being on an NHL roster by the time he is 38 years old, no Leafs fan can complain about how low the cap hit is. This now gives Treliving ample opportunity to improve the team this summer.