Maple Leafs’ John Tavares day-to-day with undisclosed injury, won’t play Saturday vs. Ducks

Tavares has struggled at times for Toronto this season, at one point having a 10-game goalless streak. Despite that, the 2009 No. 1 overall pick still has 15 goals and 25 assists for 40 points through 51 games.

After nine dominant seasons with the New York Islanders, the Maple Leafs signed Tavares as a free agent to a seven-year, $77 million contract in July 2018, arguably the biggest signing in franchise history. Through the first five seasons of the deal, Tavares lived up to the $11 million cap hit, scoring 155 goals and 199 assists for 354 points in 360 games, including a 47-goal 2018-19 campaign and two 80-point seasons.

But now in his sixth year with the club, Tavares has taken a dip in production and doesn’t look like the dominant two-way center he once did once he arrived in Toronto. With William Nylander’s extension set to kick in next season, with a cap hit of $11.5 million, the Maple Leafs will have four plays earning at least eight figures per season: Tavares with $11 million, Nylander at $11.5 million, Auston Matthews at $13,250,00 and Mitch Marner at $10,903,000.

The Maple Leafs are 28-16-8 with 64 points, fourth in the Atlantic Division and currently holding onto the No. 1 Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. After they host the Ducks on Saturday night, Toronto travels to Missouri to face the St. Louis Blues on Monday.