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John Tavares' next contract is the center of much speculation, and NHL Insider Dave Pagnotta believes the former Maple Leafs captain won't sign at length anymore.
It was a rough start to the year for John Tavares, from diminished ice time to dealing with injuries he hasn't looked like the Tavares of old. Toronto got a glimpse against Winnipeg as Tavares netted a hat-trick in a display of nostalgia for Maple Leafs fans. While it's only a one-game sample size, Tavares heating up now is exactly what Toronto needs to get going.
But it's also the final year of his deal, and he's currently being paid $11M a year. While it was understandable to pay him that money back in 2018, his age and slow decline have made it unfeasible. Toronto would love to re-sign him, and the feeling is mutual with Tavares; however, the question of money and length is always looming.
NHL Insider Dave Pagnotta believes that Tavares is done signing long-term deals. If he does sign with Toronto or perhaps another team, he'll choose short-term length over long-term security.
It makes sense for Tavares to play the slow game as his career winds down. At 34, he's still able to contribute, but he's still a step behind both in production and in terms of the modern game, as his maximum speed has dropped each of the last four seasons.
Per NHL Edge statistics, Tavares went from 36.4 kph in 2021-2022 to 34.6 kph in 2024-2025; nearly a 2 kph dropoff. Losing speed in a game that is getting faster each year is never a recipe for success and while Tavares can still hang, it feels like those threads he's holding onto get thinner and thinner.
He's declined in other parts of his game too, and the fact he scored the least amount of points through his first eight games in his entire career was worrying. The three-goal outburst helped, and surely a confidence boost to Tavares and a massive on-ice boost to the Maple Leafs.
John Tavares is going to sign a contract this summer, and whether it's for the Maple Leafs or another team, his legacy in Toronto will last forever and the impact he made on the entire city transcends the sport. If he does leave, I have no doubt Tavares will come back in some capacity to be a Maple Leaf once again.
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Analyst Eyes Rangers’ Vet as Ideal Maple Leafs Trade Target
The Toronto Maple Leafs may not be done reshaping their forward group, and analyst Jay Rosehill believes a bold trade for New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck could be the answer. Speaking on LeafsNation, Rosehill said Trocheck would be a perfect fit in Toronto’s middle-six. “He’s 32 years old, so he’s got the experience. I just think that you put him in this lineup, he would fit.” Rosehill added, “It’s like there’s kind of a big missing piece in this forward group, kind of in that middle-six type of deal. And to fill it with a high-end guy like Trocheck, it would just be like, the balance would just be humming.” h/t to nyrangersinsider.com With Mitch Marner gone via free agency, the Leafs have added depth pieces like Nic Roy and Mattias Maccelli. But GM Brad Treliving admitted on July 1 that the team still needs a top-six forward. Trocheck just posted a 59-point season (26 goals, 33 assists). He’s an offensively productive player, can play with an edge, and has playoff experience. He’s also under contract for four more seasons at a $5.625 million cap hit, meaning the cost to acquire him would be significant. Still, he could provide Toronto with long-term stability up front. With his high-energy style and proven postseason impact, he’s exactly the type of player Toronto needs to help push for a Stanley Cup.
Cowboys make questionable move amid Micah Parsons stalemate
The Dallas Cowboys extended one of their stars Sunday, just not the one fans wanted them to pay. At Cowboys training camp Saturday, Dallas fans serenaded owner Jerry Jones with "Pay Micah [Parsons]" chants. The EDGE, of course, is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract this season. Jones must not have been listening. He gave tight end Jake Ferguson a new contract instead. Dallas and the 26-year-old pass-catcher agreed to a four-year, $52M contract extension, via NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. This move seems head-scratching. Parsons has won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned two first-team All-Pro nods since the Cowboys took him with pick No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old EDGE also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ferguson, meanwhile, is solid but not elite. In three seasons with the Cowboys, the 2022 fourth-round pick has made one Pro Bowl and has never finished with more than 761 receiving yards in a season. An extension for Parsons will devour future cap space. The Cowboys may be worried about that after giving quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240M) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136M) long-term deals in 2024. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt signed a lucrative three-year, $123M extension on July 17, making him the league's highest-paid non-QB. Parsons could command a similar contract. If cap space is Dallas' primary concern, however, why would it extend Ferguson? He's now set to be the NFL's seventh-highest-paid TE. The Cowboys waited to extend Lamb and Prescott just before the start of the 2024 season. They may be doing the same with Parsons. The star defender has said, "Ownership is always gonna make [contract negotiations] drag out." Regardless, the Cowboys should've paid Parsons before Ferguson. That's a much bigger priority for the team.
Kirk Cousins makes notable leadership move after Falcons practice
Kirk Cousins might be relegated to the job of backup quarterback, but he is showing veteran leadership to his Atlanta Falcons teammates. Following Sunday's practice, Cousins pulled aside rookie defensive end James Pearce to encourage the first-round pick after his fourth practice in the league at Flowery Branch, Georgia. "QB Kirk Cousins pulled aside Pearce after practice to compliment him on a pass batted down," wrote Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Cousins reportedly had a solid day of practice on Sunday, going 7-of-12 passing against the first-team unit. If Cousins wants out of Atlanta, he's not showing it at practice. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is competing on the field and being a good teammate around the facility. Cousins' actions on the field backed up what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot praised Cousins for before the team's practice on Sunday. “Outside, it's a lot more of a deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said to the media about the idea of friction between the Falcons and Cousins, per video from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He shows up, he does his job, just like anybody ... We've gotta build the best 70-man roster so we can go win games. "That's what we're focused on, and Kirk, just like all the other players, is focused on coming in here and doing their job. That's what he's been doing." Fontenot didn't dismiss the idea that Atlanta would trade Cousins before the season. He said the Falcons will do whatever it takes to make the team better, but stressed that Cousins has been a professional throughout the process of being replaced by Michael Penix Jr., a first-round pick from the 2024 draft. “In terms of making moves, whether it's trades or acquiring players, we're always looking at those factors," Fontenot said. "We're gonna do whatever we can do to make this team the best it can possibly be. But he's been a great professional, and he's handled himself well.” Cousins is coming to work in a manner that will make another owner want to take a chance on the veteran quarterback. That could be one of his best-selling points before he plays in his 13th season in the league.
Yankees’ Trade Deadline Predictions: 2 moves to restock barren pitching staff
The Yankees hold the top Wild Card spot in the American League, and while they’re fading fast in the American League East standings, they just need one good week to gain some momentum. Part of that momentum has to come with deadline additions to the pitching staff, as Brian Cashman has loaded New York’s offense with a solid pair of infielders in Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario. Neither player will get MVP votes, but they’re dramatic upgrades over what the team had in Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas, who combined for a -0.8 fWAR this season. McMahon’s presence has already been felt with the glove, and in this article, we’re going to predict a pair of trades the Yankees could make at this year’s trade deadline to reinforce their pitching staff with impact pitchers. To clarify; these are PREDICTIONS, not sourced information declaring the Yankees as frontrunners to acquire any of these two players. Yankees’ Revisit Trade Partner for Lockdown Versatile Bullpen Weapon COL Receives: 2B Roc Riggio and RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reported last night that the Yankees are interested in Rockies’ reliever Jake Bird, and he fits the mold of pitcher that Brian Cashman likes to target at the trade deadline. He’s not the flashy headline-grabbing name that Jhoan Duran is, but he provides a good amount of whiffs and tons of groundballs, with the 4.05 ERA being a mirage. Not only is that mark still 16% better than average when adjusting for park environments, but he sports a 3.09 FIP and 3.34 xERA as well. Bird has a .352 BABIP allowed which is inflated by the Rockies’ league-worst defense according to Defensive Runs Saved (-61), and also inflated by his home ballpark. People might be worried about his performance away from Coors Field this season, but it’s likely that the changing pitch shapes as he goes back and forth from high altitude is affecting that, and if he pitched for the Yankees I wouldn’t be worried. He’s also coming from a bottom-of-the-barrel development organization for pitching to one of the best; his already dynamic repertoire could get even better in the Bronx. Jake Bird’s 116 Stuff+ is the highest single-season mark for any Rockies’ pitcher since the metric was first tracked in 2020, meaning his pitch mix is ridiculously nasty. Yankees Land Groundball Machine From Cardinals In Three-Player Swap STL Receives: C Rafael Flores and RHP Ben Hess With a year and a half of control left, the St. Louis Cardinals probably wouldn’t shut the door on trade talks for LHP JoJo Romero, who has quietly been one of the best southpaws in baseball. His 2.12 ERA and 52.9% GB% would provide a nice addition to the bullpen, making Tim Hill the second-best lefty in their reliever group which is a brilliant reflection of their newfound depth. Romero is in the 93rd Percentile in xERA (2.75) due to a dominant sinker-slider combination that can pick up whiffs or induce soft contact on the ground. His changeup is nasty against right-handed batters, and he can mix in a four-seamer at the top of the zone as well to keep righties honest. The Yankees would suddenly boast an elite bullpen, as when they get Fernando Cruz back, they would have six late-inning options who can reliably get outs and deliver clean outings. Luke Weaver needs to get things rolling, but his stuff and command are starting to get back to normal, while Tim Hill and Devin Williams have been dominant since June 1st. Fernando Cruz had been the team’s best strikeout arm, and the combination of Jake Bird and JoJo Romero provide groundballs and whiffs to the backend of the bullpen. If the rotation can import Luis Gil and Ryan Yarbrough from the injured list, they could push someone such as Will Warren into a bullpen role, and Jack Curry of YES Network hinted at Cam Schlittler being able to do so as well. Ryan Yarbrough sliding back to the bullpen could happen as well, a role where he can provide long relief or get some tough outs with that nasty changeup. These two moves wouldn’t qualify as “making headlines”, but in combination with what they did for their infield and bench, it directly addresses the Yankees’ needs and puts them in prime position to go on a deep playoff run.
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