John Tavares may not be the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs anymore, having handed over the ‘C’ to Auston Matthews in 2024, but he continues to play like he is despite his advancing age.
It’s rare for players to continue to play at an elite level once they hit their mid-thirties, but the Leafs have benefited from Tavares remaining at the top of his game consistently over the past few years.
Even right up to the final game of the 2025–26 season, where the Leafs have found themselves at the wrong end of the standings, Johnny Toronto has been one of the most consistent and top performers on the team.
John Tavares is still a leader
Tavares has been the ultimate professional since arriving in Toronto in 2018. He isn’t the most vocal of players, but even as team captain, his play and professionalism demanded respect.
He has continued that in the two seasons following his ‘demotion’ to alternate captain, and he has been named as the Leafs’ nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy this season. This is a fully deserved recognition for Tavares’ leadership on the team, regardless of whether he is a vocal person or not.
He leads by example every night, putting in strong shifts almost every game despite approaching 36 years of age. Many players who reach this point in their career demonstrate notable decline, but Tavares has remained consistent and has stepped up in a way not expected of him, especially with Matthews taking on the captain’s role officially.
Some fans still consider Tavares to be the spiritual captain of the team, being more respected than Matthews himself, but the 35-year-old has done nothing but support his team in any way he can, and when he handed over the C, it was just another moment that showed how much class he has as a person as well as a player.
He fully deserves his King Clancy nomination, and he has had to take on a larger role on the ice once again this season due to Matthews’ lengthy injury. He has shown countless times that he will do whatever is asked of him, and he remains the perfect professional.
John Tavares is exceeding his contract
John Tavares’ production makes his current contract look even better than it did the day it was announced. Earning $4,389,280 per season, in a deal set to end in 2029, Tavares is largely expected to become the Toronto Maple Leafs’ third-line centre over the next few years. Even after his $11M AAV deal expired, he is still set to play a key role.
This role isn’t due to Tavares dropping off, but rather a tactical move to utilize him to the best of his talents, giving him limited minutes alongside top power play time, giving the Leafs a serious weapon further down the lineup.
Unfortunately, the Leafs haven’t managed to find someone good enough to take over the second-line centre role this season, and Tavares has stepped up in a serious way. With one final game remaining this year, Tavares has hit 31 goals and 71 points—securing back-to-back 30-goal and 70-point seasons.
Tavares also still dominates in the faceoff circle, with 57.7% success this year alone, over 3% above his career average, and he will play a key role on the team throughout the rest of his contract.
At just over $4M, to get over 30 goals and 70 points is huge value for the Leafs, who could create a strong, playoff-ready team by landing a genuine 2C in the offseason, with Tavares being able to play more effectively in a reduced role.
If the team can’t find that guy, however, the team can rest assured that John Tavares will step up to the plate, no matter how much he is earning, and he will give 100% every single night—often making him one of the top performers on the team.
