3 Maple Leafs players entering final year of their contract in 2024

By Evan Bell

Modified Aug 15, 2024 17:57 GMT

Last year, the Toronto Maple Leafs finished the regular season as a top-three team in the Atlantic Division behind the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins. After clinching their spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the team was handed a first-round exit by the Boston Bruins, who defeated the Leafs in a closely contested seven-game series.

After failing to make it out of the first round for the third time in the past four years, the franchise is eager to improve this season in Auston Matthews' first year as captain of the team. At the same time, however, this year will go a long way in deciding the direction of the franchise in the years to come.

With several players set to hit free agency after the 2024–25 season, depending on how the team plays, we could see quite a bit of a roster overhaul next summer.

3 Toronto Maple Leafs players entering the final year of their contracts

#1. John Tavares

The 2024–25 season may be the last one for former captain John Tavares in Toronto. While the expectation is that he will likely re-sign with the franchise leading up to training camp or during the season, if an extension isn't finalized, Tavares will become an unrestricted free agent next year.

Currently, he is in the final year of a seven-year $77 million deal that will see him earn $11 million in the season ahead. While his captaincy may be over, Tavares is still eager to fulfill his ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to Toronto.

#2. Mitch Marner

Along with John Tavares, Mitch Marner is another notable member of the Maple Leafs who will hit free agency after the 2024–25 NHL season. Marner is currently in the final year of a six-year $65 million deal.

After averaging more than one point per game for the past six seasons, it's no surprise the Leafs will likely want to extend Marner to keep the Matthews-Marner duo together as they pursue a Stanley Cup, regardless of how this season plays out for the team.

#3. Jake McCabe

Jake McCabe, another Maple Leafs player due to enter free agency following the 2024–25 season, is in the final year of a four-year, $16 million contract.

After being traded from Chicago to Toronto late in the 2022–23 season, McCabe has been a staple of the team's defensive unit. This year, with the acquisitions of Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the expectation is that McCabe will likely play on the Maple Leafs' third defensive line.