Kyle Dubas May Have Opportunity to Bring John Tavares to Pittsburgh After Stunning Report

Heading into this summer, it appeared to be all but a certainty that former Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares would remain with the team and ink an extension before free agency.

Now, that's not quite as certain, as recent reports have revealed that the two sides are currently far apart on a contract extension, meaning that Tavares could be the second Ontario native to leave Toronto this summer.

According to David Pagnotta, the Leafs latest offer to their former captain was a three-year deal worth less than $4 million per season, and after posting 38 goals this past season, it's safe to say that he's worth much, much more than that on the open market.

This has led to speculation that he could test the open market, and if that happens, he could be the perfect candidate to fill the 2C role in Pittsburgh moving forward, especially given that it was Kyle Dubas who brought Tavares to Toronto in the first place.

It's unclear if that's something either party would have interest in right now, as the Penguins are potentially looking to re-tool and rebuild, but with Sidney Crosby's final few years in the NHL approaching, it's safe to say that Tavares would help them push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Ultimately, this is a situation that it's unlikely to come to fruition, as Tavares is still highly likely to return to Toronto in free agency, but if he surprises the NHL world and does leave, don't be shocked to see Kyle Dubas show immense interest in the veteran.