Maple Leafs to begin phasing out John Tavares this season?

John Tavares was signed to a mega deal with the Maple Leafs in 2018, worth $77 million over 7 years ($11M AAV). It is no secret that the Maple Leafs captain has started to show signs of decline in his game as he gets older, which has been made clear from his decreased foot speed and point production. However, a very valid point was brought up by hockey insider Pierre McGuire on the "Leafs Morning Take" Podcast with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill.

This point by McGuire got me thinking; it's clear that Tavares cannot keep up with the speed and skill that is needed in the 2C slot, but at 3C he may be the best in the league.

The 33-year-old Maple Leafs captain had a down season for his standards in 2023-24, as he put up 65 points in 80 GP. Point production aside, Tavares often went on cold streaks last season and went invisible when the Leafs needed him most in many instances, an example of this can be seen in last years playoffs against the Boston Bruins, where Tavares put up a disappointing 1 goal and 2 points in 7 games.

The only issue that arises with throwing Tavares in at 3C, is his massive cap hit. $11M for a first line player is about market value in today's NHL, but for a 3C it is a gross overpay - close to quadrouple what a 3rd line player should make.

As Tavares begins his shift to a lesser role on the Maple Leafs, let's hope that his next contract is a better representation of his contribution's to the team.

Source: PuckPedia
John Tavares Cap Hit