John Tavares is one of the stars of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who will no longer have Mitch Marner starting in the 2025-26 NHL season. The Canadian franchise secured a key weapon, and the impact of the deal highlights a comparison with another team star, Auston Matthews.
In recent hours, John Tavares signed a four-year contract extension worth $17.52 million with the Maple Leafs, keeping him on the roster through 2029. This way, Toronto resolves one of its most problematic offseason storylines and can focus on the rebuild the franchise has long desired.
Tavares accepted a significant pay cut to remain with the Maple Leafs, leaving money on the table and emphasizing his commitment to Toronto. That energy was evident in the 2024–25 season, when he scored 38 goals and added 36 assists (74 points) in 75 games. It’s a significant contribution that draws comparisons to his teammate Matthews.
How much does Matthews earn compared to Tavares?
Matthews’ salary is much higher than Tavares’, considering that the Maple Leafs star signed an extension in August 2023, securing a four-year, $53 million contract, with an average annual value (AAV) of $13.25 million per season, making him the highest-paid player in the NHL at that time.
Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on before playing against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on March 14, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Matthews’ deal took effect last season and runs through the 2027–28 season, keeping him in Toronto during this period. Regarding Tavares’ situation, the Maple Leafs free up approximately $21 million in cap space to manage the roster during the offseason.
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How much was Tavares making before his new contract with the Maple Leafs?
Before signing his extension, Tavares was on a lengthy seven-year, $77 million contract agreed to with Toronto in July 2018. His original extension carried a cap hit of $11 million per year, earned through low base salaries (around $910,000 in recent seasons) and signing bonuses totaling approximately $7 million per year.
