close
close

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares in $8 million tax dispute with CRA – Winnipeg Free Press

Posted on by Neons

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares is suing the Canada Revenue Agency over an $8 million tax dispute.

Court documents show Tavares filed an appeal with the Tax Court of Canada last week through his lawyers, seeking a reassessment of his 2018 tax return.

Tavares, a 33-year-old native of Mississauga, signed a seven-year, $77 million contract with the hometown Maple Leafs on July 1, 2018. He previously played for the New York Islanders from 2009 to 2018.

Toronto Maple Leafs' John Tavares (91) skates down the ice as the New York Islanders celebrate their NHL hockey win, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Toronto. Tavares is suing the Canada Revenue Agency over the tax dispute. $8 million. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Toronto Maple Leafs' John Tavares (91) skates down the ice as the New York Islanders celebrate their NHL hockey win, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Toronto. Tavares is suing the Canada Revenue Agency over the tax dispute. $8 million. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

The contract included a $15.25 million signing bonus in its first year.

According to court documents, the CRA found in its reassessment that Tavares' 2018 earnings were $17.8 million higher than estimated and ordered the player to pay $6.8 million in taxes, more than 38 percent of the bonus — plus $1.2 million in interest.