John Tavares Slowly Becoming a Problem for Brad Treliving and the Toronto Maple Leafs

Going into the 2024-25 season, a lot of talk was made regarding whether or not John Tavares was able to play at the elite level that fans have come to expect of him given not only his age, but the fact he was in the last year of his deal.

He's exceeded expectations and has been one of Toronto's best players.

Even after losing the captaincy, he's been the leader while Auston Matthews is injured, and showing signs of how he played in his prime.

But the question now remains: Is John Tavares creating trouble for Toronto?

While it would be a perfect world if Tavares decided to take a steep discount in order to stay with Toronto but the reality is, regardless of how much he loves this city; there's still a lot of money on the table.

Tax issues aside, Tavares is going to command not only a lot of money from the Maple Leafs (not to the tune of $11M however it'll be much more than a 50% discount) but from other teams who want to add one of the league's top offensive stars even at 34.

Toronto also needs to figure out what to do regarding Mitch Marner, and the decision of whether or not he stays relies on so many factors, it's hard to nail down exactly which one is the crucial one.

Not to mention Matthew Knies needs a new contract, and the team can't risk losing him to an offer sheet.

With 38 points in 39 games, the former Maple Leafs captain has been one of the league's best over the past few weeks.

Showcasing moves reminiscent of his prime, and also joining some very exclusive company, the season has been more than Toronto ever expected.

If the Maple Leafs want to make Tavares an offer they have a few ways to go about it, however they can't risk paying too much or committing to too many years.

No matter how good the veteran is, time waits for no one and it could spell disaster if they make the wrong move.