$77,000,000 John Tavares should re-sign with Toronto Maple Leafs despite piling failures, opines Frankie Corrado

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Jul 15, 2024 11:46 GMT

TSN hockey analyst Frankie Corrado on "Sportscentre" with Jay Ontrai has opined that captain John Tavares should resign with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In a chat with Onrait, Corrado shared his thoughts on what the Leafs might do with Tavares. The analyst responded to Onrait's idea of giving the 35-year-old veteran a short, three-year $6 million deal, hinting at even aiming for a bit more.

“Do you, I guess, just to follow up on that, Frankie, he’s got a young family. He seems comfortable here. It is his hometown. It seems would you be happy at $6 million for three years with John Tavares at age 35 going forward to age 38?” asked Jay Onrait.

Corrado talked about the team's struggles and how they might need to change things up, possibly adjusting John Tavares' role and pay to match where the team is headed (as quoted by NHL Rumors):

"I would, Jay, to be honest with you, I would, I would probably try and squeeze a little bit more. Like if it means that much to you and we know that it hasn’t really worked here because the team hasn’t been able to get it done. Yeah, it’s like there’s probably going to be a different role waiting for you. And it would have to be less money."

Corrado wondered whether the Maple Leafs should keep investing heavily in the same plan or decide to move in a different direction. He praised John Tavares for being a great player and leader for the team, highlighting that Tavares has been a standout performer despite the team's lack of success.

The insider emphasized that Tavares' only setback in Toronto is not winning with the team, as he has excelled in every other aspect of his game.

"Where you say, are we really going to double, triple quadruple down on this? Are we going to cut our losses and say, Hey, listen, thank you for everything it was awesome and we’re going to find a different route to go. Like John has been a great soldier in Toronto, a very good player. Has never done anything wrong."

"The only thing he’s a victim of is the fact that the group that he leads has not won. That is the only thing that John Tavares is a victim of in Toronto because he has done everything else exceptionally well,"- Corrado added.

With Auston Matthews and William Nylander having already signed big extensions, the Leafs now have to figure out what to do with Mitch Marner and Tavares. The club faces a tough job of balancing contracts and keeping its core group intact for the future.

Tavares is entering the final year of a seven-year, $77 million deal signed with the Leafs in 2017. He will become a UFA at the end of the 2024–25 season.

John Tavares remains committed to Toronto amid rumors

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Earlier this month, Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet shared that there are discussions within the Leafs organization about potentially removing the captaincy from Tavares and passing it to Auston Matthews.

Tavares was made the Leafs captain in the 2019–20 season, and under his leadership, the club has made it past the first round only once. Despite the ongoing speculation surrounding John Tavares' captaincy and his future with the team, the 35-year-old remains dedicated to continuing his career in Toronto.

“I haven't put much thought to it, but I mean, I love playing here. I think it's a remarkable place to play. And, you know, when I committed here six years ago, you know, obviously I saw a tremendous amount of talent and an amazing hockey market and organization that's fully committed to winning," he said.

Tavares notched up 65 points through 29 goals and 36 points in 80 games this past season. In the playoffs, Tavares accumulated two points in seven games.