The Toronto Maple Leafs appear primed to lose star two-way forward Mitch Marner in free agency.
That makes retaining John Tavares all the more important.
ESPN's Kristen Shilton reports that the two sides "aren't close on an extension."
Shilton goes on to compare Tavares' situation to that of Matt Duchene in Dallas, a veteran forward still playing great hockey. Duchene signed a four-year, $18 million deal to stay with the Stars.
Tavares has been suggested by other reports to deserve more than that $4.5 million average, but that seems like it'd have to be the starting point for Toronto.
"A $4.5 million average annual value contract for Tavares isn't looking so bad when you consider the Leafs cannot lose a second-line center who just had one of his best seasons ever at age 34," Shilton writes. "And the Leafs won't have many options to replace Tavares if he accepts another team's offer (of which there could be many)."
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Tavares just had 38 goals and 36 assists, finishing with 74 points in 75 games played.
The 2009 No. 1 overall pick is a native of Mississauga, Ontario, and he seemed to be energized by playing for a strong Toronto team.
The Maple Leafs have more contracts to worry about beyond Marner and Tavares, but Tavares is the big one that seems like it could still actually get done in the Leafs' favor, and so it's up to them to find a way to make the deal happen.
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