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“If John Tavares has dropped the C, it may be to extend his contract”

 David Miller
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“If John Tavares has dropped the C, it may be to extend his contract”
Credit: Getty Images
This morning, the Maple Leafs officially named a new captain. From now on, Auston Matthews will wear the C, even though John Tavares is still in town.

Tavares was the club’s captain until today.

In effect, the team is talking about a “transition” as a way of looking to the future. Tavares says he was the one who proposed the change, and that he discussed it with Brad Treliving before talking to Matthews.

That’s the official version, at least… because we agree that Tavares wasn’t going to say he was forced to do it, whether it’s true or not.

That said, there are some people who think the change may involve something else. James Mirtle, who covers Leafs activities for The Athletic, was on Sportsnet 590 The FAN, and during his interview, he mentioned one such possibility:

If John Tavares dropped the C, it might be to extend his contract. – James Mirtle

We know that Tavares, whose contract expires at the end of the coming season, will almost certainly see his salary reduced on his next pact. It’s unlikely that any team will offer him $11 million a year, after all.

And if he wants to stay in Toronto, which is looking to cut salary, there’s no way he’s going to make that kind of annual salary.

On the other hand, if Tavares ever wants to stay in Toronto, letting Matthews be captain increases his chances of staying. Presumably, Matthews would have become captain at the end of Tavares’ deal, and getting rid of him could have been an easy way to make the transition.

Suddenly, however, it’s much easier to come to an agreement with Tavares on the terms of a less expensive contract to keep him in town. He may no longer be a superstar, but he can still help the Leafs.

And if Tavares, who has just given up his C, also agrees to a pay cut in a year’s time to stay in town, he’ll climb in the estimation of Toronto fans. Perhaps it’s a calculated decision on his part to save his legacy as a member of the Maple Leafs, a legacy that’s mostly associated with six years of disappointment at the moment.


In Overtime

– Mathieu Choinière would join Marco Schällibaum in Switzerland.

– Not to be missed.

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