During the upcoming summer, Toronto Maple Leafs fans will be closely following contract negotiations with Mitch Marner. However, Marner isn’t the sole notable Leaf player nearing UFA status, as team captain John Tavares also has a year left on his contract. Tavares, aged 33, has an $11 million AAV and a full no-movement clause. This season has been challenging for Tavares, seeing a drop in production and being at times placed on the third line by Coach Sheldon Keefe. Tavares has faced criticism for his accountability and had a tax battle earlier in the year. Speculations arise about Tavares’ future in the off-season, with suggestions for a possible contract extension at a lower cost. It remains to be seen if Tavares would accept a pay cut to stay with the Leafs, and GM Brad Treliving could opt to let him play out his final year to assess his performance and explore other free-agent options.
