Former Stanley Cup champion envisions John Tavares slotting into a 'Corey Perry-esque' role after signing Leafs extension

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving confirmed that the team is progressing in its contract talks with John Tavares. The 35-year-old forward is expected to remain in the city; however, there has been much speculation about the range of contract he is set to be offered.

Because of Tavares' age, insiders and analysts have projected a range between Matt Duchene's four-year $18 million contract with the Dallas Stars (at age 34) and Brock Nelson's three-year $22.5 million contract extension with the Colorado Avalanche (at age 33). The Leafs are trying to balance term and money to re-sign the forward who notched 74 points for the team, mostly as a mid-six forward.

Former NHL defenseman and Stanley Cup winner Chris Pronger made his feelings clear on TSN's "Overdrive" about John Tavares' potential role going forward:

"I think he's never been a great skater. He's a smart player. He's not a burner, so to speak. I look at him—he’s Corey Perry-esque in the sense that he’s good around the net. He’s not afraid to go in and around the net. That’s where he scores a lot of his goals—half-low in the power play. He can be the bumper, can be on the half wall, can be the down-low guy.

"He’s versatile on the power play. But I think as he continues to age, he’s going to be a power play guy, a power play specialist, and he’s a third-line center with the pace that he plays at. Watching the Finals and watching the playoffs play out, the pace of the game is only going north—it’s not going in the other direction." [2:40 onwards]

Tavares has 155 goals in his career during power plays. 72 of those power-play goals have come in his seven seasons with the Maple Leafs. If they re-sign him, he could continue to make a potent trio alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander.

Chris Pronger on why John Tavares wants to stay with the Maple Leafs

Chris Pronger was also asked about the motivations behind John Tavares' willingness to continue in Toronto. As a Core Four member in the Leafs' ranks, Tavares has been meted out some strict media attention because of the team's continuous string of playoff losses.

Pronger felt there was an added motivation apart from his will to win:

"We can go into the whole ordeal of how it happened, but I think he’s comfortable. I don’t get the sense that he wants to move.

"I don’t know if that’s comfort in the sense that he just doesn’t want to uproot his family because he’s comfortable living in Toronto and he’s from there, or he sees something within the locker room, within the current formation of the team, that gives him the comfort that he thinks they can win. Whether he’s right or wrong, I don’t know." [4:20 onwards]

Tavares is expected to prioritize his family as he and his wife share three children - Jace, Axton and Rae. That should be a major factor alongside his will to win as a Leaf.