Maple Leafs Fans Shocked by New Speculation on John Tavares' Future
Photo credit: Sportsnet
John Tavares has spent the past seven years of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and recent speculation claims Tavares could spend his retirement days with the Maple Leafs' front office.
It is no secret that former Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares wants to stay in his hometown.
Having grown up a Leafs fan, Tavares decided in 2018 to leave the New York Islanders to play for the team he always cheered for.
Now, his seven-year contract is set to expire, and it is no secret that Tavares wants to stay in Toronto under the coaching of Craig Berube.
However, Leafs GM Brad Treliving needs to ensure that the Leafs can keep Tavares on a hometown discount, and there is now speculation about his contract structure being akin to that of Yanni Gourde, who recently signed a six-year deal with a relatively cheap AAV.
In a recent article for The Hockey Writers, it was speculated that Tavares could sign a long-term deal and, upon his inevitable retirement one day, he could join the Leafs front office.
"Don't be surprised if this next deal is part of a bigger picture-one that sees Tavares eventually move into a player development, management, or ambassadorial role with the Maple Leafs, much like Jason Spezza before him.
He's the kind of figure the team could easily imagine sticking around long after he hangs up his skates." - The Hockey Writers
He's the kind of figure the team could easily imagine sticking around long after he hangs up his skates." - The Hockey Writers
While Tavares seems far from retirement, even at 34 years old, moving into a player development role during his post-playing days could be especially beneficial for the Leafs, considering the talents Tavares has.
While there is yet to be a deal, the Leafs should certainly be interested in the idea of keeping Tavares around after he is done playing, as his mentorship could become invaluable for the young players and prospects within the Leafs system one day.
Through his illustrious 16-year career, Tavares has played in 1184 career games, scoring 494 goals and 1114 points split between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders. He has consistently been one of the best players in the NHL and as his career is certainly worth Hall of Fame consideration.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 5 | 504 ANSWERS Maple Leafs Fans Shocked by New Speculation on John Tavares' Future Will John Tavares retire as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs? | ||
| Yes | 455 | 90.3 % |
| No | 49 | 9.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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