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John Tavares speaks out on his Maple Leafs future after being stripped of captaincy
John Tavares has expressed his desire to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs beyond this season. Despite stepping down as captain, he remains fully committed to the team. NHL insider Chris Johnston shared Tavares' thoughts on Twitter on Wednesday, stating:
"Obviously I want to be here. I want to be here long term. Hopefully that happens."
Tavares is entering the final year of his seven-year, $77 million contract, which he signed on July 1, 2018. His contract, which is worth $11 million annually, brought him back to his hometown of Toronto. Growing up a Maple Leafs fan, Tavares dreamed of winning a Stanley Cup for the city.
In 2019, a year after signing his contract, Tavares was named captain of the Maple Leafs. Unfortunately, the Stanley Cup dream has not come true. During his five seasons as captain, the team managed to win only one playoff series. Despite the team's struggles, Tavares made important contributions, including scoring an overtime goal that eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023. That win helped Toronto advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 20 years.
John Tavares stepped down as Maple Leafs captain to support Matthews
The idea of stepping down as captain came after Tavares met with Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving following the team's playoff exit in 2023. After some thought, Tavares believed it was time for Auston Matthews to take over as captain. He even personally called Matthews to share his decision.
"I thought the time was now for him to take charge," John Tavares said per NHL.com on August 14.
The official announcement was made at a press conference near Scotiabank Arena. Matthews was introduced as the new captain, with many Leafs' players, staff and former captains present. Tavares’ two young sons attended the event, wearing Matthews' No. 34 jerseys as a sign of support.
Tavares said it meant a lot to him and his family. Matthews appreciated the gesture, calling it "pretty cool" to see Tavares’ kids wearing his jersey.
Though no longer captain, John Tavares remains a key leader for the Maple Leafs. He continues to work toward winning a Stanley Cup.
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