Toronto Maple Leafs could learn from the Tampa Bay Lightning's mistakes

The Tampa Bay Lightning could be considered a model franchise over the last decade, having played in multiple Stanley Cup Finals and winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. However, the way the Lightning handled the re-signing process with their long-tenured captain and franchise points leader, Steven Stamkos, is something all teams in the league should try to avoid, especially the Maple Leafs.

The Leafs are entering a bit of an unknown situation with a long-tenured captain of their own in John Tavares, who will be looking for a new deal at the end of the 2024-25 season when his current contract expires.

If the Maple Leafs are out of a playoff spot before the trade deadline, they have to at least explore several options that are better for the organization than letting their captain walk for free in free agency:

(These options are on the basis that Tavares will agree to wave his NMC)

1. The Maple Leafs could trade Tavares for strictly futures (picks and or prospects), while retaining a large portion of his salary to maximize the return.

2. If the Leafs do not wish to re-sign Tavares, they should initiate trade talks with him much earlier and make it clear to him that their partnership will be coming to an end one way or another.

3. The Leafs could give Tavares and his agent permission to seek a trade to an NHL team of his choosing right now, prior to the start of a new season and leave the door open for those discussions to continue throughout the year until he finds a spot he likes.

Ultimately, if Tavares truly wants to do what's best for the team, he should agree to waive his NMC, if the plan is for he and the team to part ways next summer. He has a chance to learn from how the market responded to him leaving on Long Island, and while the situation is much different in Toronto, it's certainly possible that Tavares will want to avoid being viewed the way he is by Islanders fans in the Toronto market as well by the Maple Leafs' faithful. Again, different situations, but his mindset may be that he'd prefer to avoid any more turmoil with fans in his hometown.

Source: PuckPedia
John Tavares stats, bio and contract info