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John Tavares tips in a power-play goal for Leafs (1:01)
John Tavares scores his second goal of the game to give the Leafs a 3-1 lead over the Panthers. (1:01)
Kristen ShiltonJun 27, 2025, 01:31 PM ET
- Kristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN.
John Tavares is sticking with the Maple Leafs.
Toronto announced a four-year contract extension for Tavares on Friday, carrying an average annual value of $4.38 million. Tavares was set to become an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday.
He subsequently released a statement through his foundation's social media channels confirming the new deal.
"Coming to Toronto 7 years ago has been better than I ever anticipated," the Instagram post read. "The challenge of helping bring the Cup back to the many generations of Leafs Fans and Leafs Nation is an incredible opportunity that pushes myself and my teammates everyday. TO is an incredible place to play and it's an honour to pull on the Maple Leaf and wear the blue and white. I'm thrilled to announce that I'm committed to four more years! My family and I are excited to continue our journey here in Toronto. The best is yet to come!"
The center is coming off one of his most productive regular seasons, collecting 38 goals and 74 points in 75 games. It was the second time in three years Tavares had eclipsed the 30-goal mark.
Tavares, 34, originally signed with the Leafs as a free agent on July 1, 2018. He captained the team from 2019 to 2024, when he ceded the role to Auston Matthews.
A native of the Toronto area, Tavares has put down roots with his young family there and had made clear throughout the past season he had no desire to play elsewhere, but that he wanted a fair deal in terms of both term and money. Ultimately Tavares took less than he could have negotiated on the open market to stay in Toronto.
Keeping Tavares in the fold was a key item on the Leafs' offseason to-do list. Toronto is unlikely to re-sign pending UFA Mitch Marner to a contract extension, which will impact their top six forward depth. Retaining Tavares as their number two center behind Matthews will help stabilize the Leafs up front.
There are a limited number of centers available on expiring deals now that Tavares is off the board. Sam Bennett, Mikael Granlund, Pius Suter and Claude Giroux remain some of the higher-profile names without new contracts.
NHL free agency officially opens at noon on Tuesday.
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