John Tavares' Next Contract: Reporter Predicts Shocking New Deal
John Tavares is going to re-sign with the Maple Leafs, the only question is for how much. But recent reports project his new deal to be a bit of a surprising one.
It's no secret that both John Tavares and the Toronto Maple Leafs want to continue their relationship, as reports since the beginning of the year have stated that Tavares wants to finish his career out with the Maple Leafs.
But the former captain has been playing above his age in the final year of his seven-year, $77M deal, and though there will be some interest from other teams, Tavares is going to stay put.
Tavares, 34, has 21 goals, 24 assists & 45 points in 47 games for the Maple Leafs this season.
While he's going to take a cut in pay, a new article from Kevin McGran of The Toronto Star projects it's not going to be as cheap as fans think.
So what will the potential last deal of Tavares' career look like?
Report: John Tavares Contract Extension Projected At $8-Million Per Year
The article entitled 'For Mitch Marner and the Leafs, a much higher NHL salary cap changes the game' goes into how the rising salary cap in the next few seasons is a massive boost to the Maple Leafs contract extension plans.
In regards to Tavares, McGran talks about how the rising cap will make Tavares' next deal a bit more expensive than first anticipated:
The salary cap is expected to rise to upwards of $113.5-million in 2027-28, so a Tavares deal will only count as a minor hit on the cap by the time his contract is near its end (provided he signs a two or three year deal).
It's not a bad deal in the long-term and the rising cap helps immensely, but there is also no guarantee that Tavares will continue this level of production. His age might catch up to him, making a deal look a bit bloated especially if he regresses quickly.
For whatever reason, if Tavares ends up leaving Toronto, he would leave as one of the all-time greats for the team. But don't count on it, as it was a childhood dream for the veteran center and he wants to ride it out as long as he can.
