Is Maple Leafs' star John Tavares leaving Toronto after this season?

The Toronto Maple Leafs must win the Stanley Cup this season as this may be the final year with the "core four" together. Two massive pieces could find new homes after this season and could dramatically change the look of the forward group and this team. Specifically John Tavares.

Drafted first overall by the New York Islanders in the 2009 NHL Draft, Tavares came into the NHL after a successful career with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.

He would keep the same offensive production during his tenure with New York, placing himself among the NHL's greatest offensive weapons during that time.

However, over time, he began to feel unappreciated and undervalued. This would cause him to leave the Islanders organization in a stunning move. He would make his way to Canada and sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, 2018, on a seven-year deal worth $77 million.

He would soon fit right in and be a force on the ice with a new lease on life. He meant so much to the organization that he was named captain on October 2, 2019.

His offensive flair would continue as Toronto now had a fearsome foursome up front. Tavares, Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner, and William Nylander would not only make up half of the team's salary cap but would rank among the deadliest forward groups in the league.

The Toronto Maple Leafs could lose John Tavares after the 2024-25 season

Tavares would play a pivotal role in the Maple Leafs making continuous playoff appearances but did not factor in the team's postseason woes. Last season, Tavares posted 29 goals and 36 assists for 65 points in 80 games. For his career, he has 456 goals and 584 assists for 1,040 points in 1,109 games.

The six-time all-star may be leaving the Maple Leafs after this season, along with Marner. They will both be unrestricted free agents and Toronto cannot afford them both at their current price.

This, along with Tavares being stripped of the captaincy in favor of Matthews, may see one of the most underrated scorers change teams for the third time in his NHL career.

Tavares had seen the best and worst in Toronto. The offense and dedication are still there, but the playoff success is not. Could frustration lead him to move on from regular-season success?

If Toronto does not win the Stanley Cup, he may be looking for a new team before the 2025-26 season. He would be one of the bigger pieces on the free agent market. Other free agents include forwards Marner, Mikko Rantanen, Sidney Crosby, and Sam Bennett; defensemen Aaron Ekblad, Jakob Chychrun, and Evan Bouchard; and goaltender Linus Ullmark headline an impressive list.

Aside from that list, Toronto does have some free agents during the 2025 off-season to look at on their team. Those names include defenseman Jake McCabe (UFA), forward Matthew Knies (RFA), and goaltender Dennis Hildeby (RFA).

Losing Tavares would be a huge loss in Toronto from an offensive standpoint and a leadership perspective. Losing him and Marner would be catastrophic. This season is a big one for Toronto, as it likely will signal if Tavares and Marner will stray or go.

If the Maple Leafs are out of the playoffs in the first round again, one, or both, may be gone. However, with the roster additions during this off-season on defense, will this season be different? This season is a big gamble. Win everything or lose everything in the 2024-25 season for the Maple Leafs.