NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers - Source: Imagn — NHL insider Pierre LeBrun questions idea of John Tavares signing $5M AAV deal with Maple Leafs (Source: Imagn)

'Seems like a stretch': NHL insider gives his thoughts on Maple Leafs' $77M forward signing a bargain $5M AAV deal

Modified Jun 12, 2025 04:54 GMT

NHL insider Pierre LeBrun shared his thoughts via The Athletic about John Tavares’ possible new deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. LeBrun said the idea of Tavares signing a bargain $5 million AAV deal seems unlikely.

Both sides still want to make a deal, but they have not agreed on the right terms yet. LeBrun believes Tavares will need to sign for more than $5 million per season, with the contract length also being part of the discussion.

"The Leafs and John Tavares’ camp continue to talk and touched base again this week. There remains mutual interest in getting something done, but finding that sweet spot on a fair deal isn’t quite there yet," LeBrun wrote.

"The idea that Tavares might sign for a bargain $5 million AAV seems like a stretch to me. It’s going to have to be above that to get it done given the year he just had, although term is part of the equation as well," he added.

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John Tavares’ last deal was for seven years and $77 million. It had a cap hit of $11 million per season and ended after the 2024-25 season. The Maple Leafs face a busy summer with possible roster changes. Still, they feel confident about re-signing Tavares.

Tavares is one of two “Core Four” players with an ending contract, with the other being Mitch Marner, who is expected to leave in free agency, but Tavares looks set to stay.

John Tavares wants to stay with Toronto Maple Leafs

Earlier in May, after the Maple Leafs' playoff exit, John Tavares said via NHL.com that he wanted to stay with the Maple Leafs.

“Obviously, I’ve expressed my desire to stay and make it work.”

Tavares had good talks with management and hopes to work something out. He has played seven seasons in Toronto and still scores well, but he is not as fast as before. His contract has ended, so the final decision is now up to the team.

"Very optimistic that we can work something out where I’m back, but obviously haven’t put a lot of thought into it," Tavares added.

General manager Brad Treliving said the team needs to change its “DNA” after another early playoff exit:

"There's some DNA that has to change in our team. If you keep getting to the same result, there's some DNA that needs to change. That's on me going forward."

The Maple Leafs have only won two playoff series in the last nine years. Treliving said they have started early planning for the 2025–26 season.

About the author

Abhilasha is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda. Holding a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, her interest in writing hockey was piqued after watching an NHL skills video on YouTube. The 2023 Stanley Cup Finale series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers was among the most iconic games she has seen and it left an impact on her.

Her reporting strengths include covering news stories and following stars like McDavid, Matthews and Alex Ovechkin, among others.

Abhilasha is a huge fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche because of their skilled forwards, while her favorite players include Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Connor Bedard. For her, John Tortorella is the greatest coach ever.

Abhilasha has over 3 years of experience writing content for different products and websites, along with handling social media content for various brands. She values using credible sources when writing and likes to identify fake and false narratives.

Abhilasha’s hobbies include spiritual reading, staying updated on the latest makeup trends, fitness and exploring new destinations through travel.

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