John Tavares is staying in Toronto. Ahead of tonight's NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs announced that Tavares has inked a 4-year contract extension with an AAV of $4.38 million. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday, July 1.
Tavares has been with the Maple Leafs since the 2018-19 season, and his new contract will keep him in Toronto through the 2028-29 campaign.
The 34-year-old center has been a thorn in the Red Wings' side over the years, and now that he is staying in the division, Detroit fans will continue to see more of Tavares over the next four seasons.
JOHNNY TORONTO 🔵⚪️
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) June 27, 2025
We have re-signed John Tavares to a four-year contract extension pic.twitter.com/iLPhQRto9H
Tavares' sustained success against Detroit presents problems for the Red Wings
Tavares has seen great success against the Red Wings over the years. In 40 career games against Detroit, Tavares has tallied 54 points on 20 goals and 34 assists. He owns a shooting percentage of 14.7 and has potted five game-winners. This past season, Tavares collected four points (2g, 2a) in four games against Detroit.
His 54 career points against Detroit are the fourth-most points Tavares has racked up against a single franchise in his career. He has more points against only the Hurricanes (59 points in 51 games), Sabres (56 points in 48 games), and Flyers (56 points in 58 games).
Tavares is coming off a very productive regular season in 2024-25. The Mississauga, Ontario native scored 38 goals this past season, which is the most he's scored since he potted a career-high 47 goals in his first season in Toronto in 2018-19. He also added 36 assists in 2024-25, giving him just under a point-per-game with 74 points in 75 games.
Outlook for Detroit's offseason after Tavares singing
The Atlantic Division has seen some big moves take place today. Not only did Tavares re-sign with the Maple Leafs, but the Canadiens traded for star defenseman Noah Dobson. Steve Yzerman has a big offseason in store, and division rivals are already setting the tone for their respective offseasons.
If the Red Wings want to break their playoff drought in season No. 100, not only will Yzerman need to put together a strong NHL Draft, but he will need to sign the right free agents.
The Red Wings are already in the bottom-third of Stanley Cup odds boards, and if they want to improve their chances, a successful offseason is essential.
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