Leafs' Tavares 'thrilled' to land 4-year extension

John Tavares is sticking with the Maple Leafs.

Toronto announced a four-year declaration hold for Tavares connected Friday, carrying an AAV of $4.38 million. Tavares was acceptable to go an unrestricted escaped cause connected July 1.

He subsequently released a connection done his foundation's societal media channels confirming the caller deal.

"Coming to Toronto 7 years agone has been amended than I ever anticipated," said the Instagram post. "The situation of helping bring the Cup backmost to the galore generations of Leafs Fans and Leafs Nation is an unthinkable accidental that pushes myself and my teammates mundane [sic]. TO is an unthinkable spot to play and it's an honour to propulsion connected the Maple Leaf and deterioration the bluish and white. I'm thrilled to denote that I'm committed to 4 much years! My household and I are excited to proceed our travel present successful Toronto. The champion is yet to come!"

The halfway is coming disconnected 1 of his astir productive regular seasons, collecting 38 goals and 74 points successful 75 games. It was the 2nd clip successful 3 years Tavares had eclipsed the 30-goal mark.

Tavares, 34, primitively signed with the Leafs arsenic a escaped cause connected July 1, 2018. He captained the squad from 2019 to 2024, erstwhile helium ceded the relation to Auston Matthews.

A autochthonal of the Toronto area, Tavares has enactment down roots with his young household determination and had made wide passim the past play helium had nary tendency to play elsewhere but wanted a just woody successful presumption of some word and money. Ultimately Tavares took little than helium could person negotiated connected the unfastened marketplace to enactment successful Toronto.

Keeping Tavares successful the fold was a cardinal point connected the Leafs' offseason to-do list. Toronto is improbable to re-sign pending UFA Mitch Marner to a declaration extension, which volition interaction their apical six guardant depth. Retaining Tavares arsenic their fig 2 halfway down Matthews volition assistance stabilize the Leafs up front.

There are a constricted fig of centers disposable connected expiring deals present that Tavares is disconnected the board. Sam Bennett, Mikael Granlund, Pius Suter and Claude Giroux stay immoderate of the higher illustration names without caller contracts.

NHL escaped bureau officially opens astatine noon connected Tuesday.