Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares has been the subject of trade rumors this summer, with one proposed deal suggesting he be traded to the Seattle Kraken in a blockbuster move.
Tavares is in the final year of his seven-year, $77 million contract, which he signed as a free agent in 2018 to join his hometown team. Given Toronto’s playoff struggles, his name has come up in trade talks. PuckPedia’s new PuckGM tool allows users to create their own trades, and one user proposed a deal involving Tavares and the Kraken.
Proposed Trade:
- Maple Leafs receive: Yanni Gourde, Jaden Schwartz, 2025 second-round pick
- Kraken receive: John Tavares
This trade makes sense on paper, as Seattle would gain a veteran leader to support their young core for one season, with the possibility of re-signing him afterward. However, the draft pick might make more sense going to Seattle to balance the deal.
For the Maple Leafs, Yanni Gourde would be an ideal third-line center, reminiscent of his effective role with the Tampa Bay Lightning during their back-to-back Stanley Cup wins. Jaden Schwartz, though declining, could still provide depth as a bottom-six forward.
Tavares’ Preference: Despite the trade rumors, Tavares has expressed his desire to stay with the Maple Leafs. Following Toronto’s first-round playoff elimination by the Boston Bruins, Tavares made it clear that he wants to remain in Toronto.
“I haven’t put much thought to it, but I mean, I love playing here,” Tavares said at the year-end press conference. “I think it’s a remarkable place to play. When I committed here six years ago, I saw a tremendous amount of talent and an amazing hockey market and organization fully committed to winning…
“I haven’t accomplished what we’ve been working to accomplish, but it’s been an amazing six years for myself. Being a Maple Leaf, and becoming the captain, is something very special that I don’t take for granted,” Tavares added.
Tavares recorded 29 goals and 36 assists for 65 points in 80 games this season. In the playoffs, he added 1 goal and 1 assist for 2 points in 7 games.
Insider Claims Toronto Contemplating Stripping Tavares of Captaincy: John Tavares was named the Maple Leafs’ captain on October 2, 2019, before the season opener. As he enters the final year of his deal, NHL insider Nick Kypreos revealed that the Maple Leafs are considering removing Tavares’ captaincy.
“From what I’m hearing, the Leafs are contemplating taking the captaincy away from him and giving it to Auston (Matthews). They will talk about it. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but it’s real,” Kypreos said on July 1 on Real Kyper & Bourne.
If the Maple Leafs do remove Tavares’ captaincy, Auston Matthews is likely to become the new captain.
The Maple Leafs will open the 2024-25 NHL season on the road against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 9.
