Insider Chris Johnston Provides Latest on John Tavares' Future with the Maple Leafs
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John Tavares' future with the Maple Leafs isn't a certainty, but according to NHL Insider Chris Johnston, they will more than likely come to an agreement.
With a lot of questions surrounding whether or not former captain John Tavares is going to re-up with the Maple Leafs this summer or not, NHL Insider Chris Johnston believes that Tavares is probably staying put.
John Tavares' odds of staying? 70/30 according to Chris Johnston
Speaking on his podcast, The CJ Show, Johnston explained that he believes while there is a chance Tavares leaves, it's more than likely he is sticking around:
I'll go 70/30 he stays. I'll give you the reason why.
The Maple Leafs need not one, but two centermen to be signed, acquired, procured somehow this offseason.
I don't see a lot of clear upgrades that are going to be out there in free agency.
He is a player who scored 38 goals this year, 74 points, and still has great hands around the net. He looks after himself,m treats everybody right; he's a pretty damn good hockey player.
If he were to ever go to the open market himself, he would still have a vast array of teams who want to bring him in.
I still think it's likely they end up together, because the Leafs need a center, there's not that many available and John Tavares wants to stay in Toronto.
We'll see, but I think it's more than likely he stays. - Chris Johnston, The CJ Show
The Maple Leafs need not one, but two centermen to be signed, acquired, procured somehow this offseason.
I don't see a lot of clear upgrades that are going to be out there in free agency.
He is a player who scored 38 goals this year, 74 points, and still has great hands around the net. He looks after himself,m treats everybody right; he's a pretty damn good hockey player.
If he were to ever go to the open market himself, he would still have a vast array of teams who want to bring him in.
I still think it's likely they end up together, because the Leafs need a center, there's not that many available and John Tavares wants to stay in Toronto.
We'll see, but I think it's more than likely he stays. - Chris Johnston, The CJ Show
That's great news for the Maple Leafs, but can they still accomplish their offseason goals while keeping Tavares?
What Toronto can do to secure both John Tavares and lineup help
Well, this does depend on Tavares sticking around and taking a hometown discount, but with all the signs pointing to him doing both, there's ways they can kill two birds with one stone.
If the team decides to give him a five-year, $30M deal, that would be a steep discount, but still technically still under half of his current salary, and with the cap rising it will get cheaper over time.
That gives them enough to also re-sign Matthew Knies to a deal, and while they would love a long-term pact, they might need to settle for a bridge deal right now.
Plus, it also gives them the flexibility that might be a key to bringing in the right people.
If he sticks around, that gives Toronto at minimum a 3C, and with the potential to sign Sam Bennett, that allows Tavares to play with a bit less pressure, but give Toronto a very respected trio of pivots with serious damage potential.
Several smaller pieces like Claude Giroux, Patrick Kane, Jamie Benn, or even someone like Brad Marchand will also be a factor in whether to keep Tavares or not.
If Brad Treliving feels the DNA change is real, and he can find a suitable replacement or two for cheap; he may go that direction.
But as of now, we just have to wait and see when the first domino falls in the Maple Leafs offseason. It might be Tavares' contract, but if not; expect it to follow shortly after.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 2 | 537 ANSWERS Insider Chris Johnston Provides Latest on John Tavares' Future with the Maple Leafs How much will John Tavares sign for in free agency? | ||
| $5M | 275 | 51.2 % |
| $6M | 190 | 35.4 % |
| $7M | 55 | 10.2 % |
| $8M+ | 17 | 3.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
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