Barring a change in heart, it appears that John Tavares will be moving on from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 34-year-old doesn’t necessarily want to leave Toronto, but rightfully believes he should get another solid pay day after a season in which he recorded 38 goals and 74 points in 75 games. The Maple Leafs, however, are tight against the salary cap.
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“The word I’ve heard here is that Toronto is trying to be creative,” Elliotte Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. “I think Tavares could get the Brock Nelson deal on the open market. I don’t think Toronto wants to do that.”
Nelson, of course, just signed a three-year, $22.5 million extension with the Colorado Avalanche that carries a cap hit of $7.5 million. While that number would be a major cut in salary for Tavares, one can still understand why the Maple Leafs may be hesitant and prefer to go a different route. That said, whoever does get Tavares will be landing themselves a very good player. Here are four teams that would serve as excellent fits.
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks improved tremendously in 2024-25 from where they were the season prior and are looking to make another big jump this coming season. They’ve already proven that they are planning on making the transition into a contender in the near future with by hiring Joel Quenneville as new head coach, and they aren’t done there, either.
The Ducks already had a ton of cap space entering the offseason, and were able to free up even more when they traded Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers. That was seen by many as an attempt to free up as much money as possible for Mitch Marner, though if they fail to land him, adding Tavares wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize.
Carolina Hurricanes
It was more of the same for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2024-25, who once again put together a very solid season but were unable to reach their ultimate goal. This season saw them eliminated in the Eastern Conference Final by the Florida Panthers, as it was once again quite obvious that they lack the star talent to compete against elite rosters.
While Tavares may not be the star talent he was earlier in his career with the New York Islanders, his stats in recent seasons prove that he is still a very good top-six player. The Hurricanes have the money to add him, are weak up the middle, and would benefit greatly from a player that produces to Tavares’ level. It appears to be a great fit for both sides, as signing with the ‘Canes would allow Tavares to continue to push for a Stanley Cup.
Columbus Blue Jackets
One team expected to make some noise this summer is the Columbus Blue Jackets. This organization has been out of sorts as of late, as they attempted to fast track their rebuild a few summers ago with additions such as Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson. With a new management regime in place, however, this summer’s moves could prove to be much better.
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The Blue Jackets also have a ton of cap space, and are a dark horse to sign Marner. While Marner choosing the Blue Jackets feels unlikely, there may be reason for Tavares to as they would be able to pay him more than most teams in the NHL and could likely provide some good term as well. They have plenty of young talent on their roster and aren’t as far away from competing as many think.
New York Islanders
Well this would be fun, wouldn’t it? Tavares became public enemy number one amongst Islanders fans the day he signed with the Maple Leafs, though the perception of him would completely change should he return to where it all began.
The Islanders don’t appear to be on their way to contending anytime soon, but do have a lot of money to spend, and could afford to give Tavares a big deal. They are also weak up the middle, which he would help with tremendously. It is far more unlikely than the other three on this list, but nothing is impossible in the NHL.
Exciting Offseason in Store
Along with Marner and Tavares, this year’s NHL free agent class is littered with talented names including Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers, Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad, to name just a few. Of course, these players could wind up signing extensions with their current teams, but it’s appearing less and less likely with free agency just a few days away.
