Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours. As the season goes along, contract negotiations continue for pending free agents. The same goes for Toronto Maple Leafs centre John Tavares. There have been new reports and rumours on Tavares’ current contract situation. Tavares is currently in the final year of his seven-year contract where he earned $11M per year against the salary cap.
What’s the Hold Up on Tavares’ New Contract?
According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun on Insider Trading, things are moving slowly between general manager Brad Treliving and Tavares’ camp. That doesn’t mean that there is no agreement or interest there, it’s just about the circumstances of the situation. LeBrun reported that nothing is imminent. However, it was made clear that Tavares would like to remain a member of the Maple Leafs. It wouldn’t be a shock to see the Mississauga, Ont. native try to win a Stanley Cup and end his career in Toronto.
The main driver that’s holding negotiations back is the salary cap. Next season, the cap is projected to increase from the $88M mark that it is set at now. Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the salary cap can increase by five percent each year. Next season, the cap will increase to at least $92.4M, that’s $4.4M more than the current cap. With that, there’s potential for the cap to rise even higher than the set five percent. That could happen if there can be an agreement between the league and the NHL Player’s Association, according to commissioner Gary Bettman.
