How are you feeling about Tavares these days?

[RunItBackAgain]

No stats can convince me what I see with my own two eyes is wrong.

 

[ponder]

He's great on the PP, where his elite faceoff ability, hockey IQ, hands, shot and strength around the net really shine. Tips (high tips especially), cleaning up rebounds, getting free in the slot for quick shots, he's terrific at all of that, a great netfront presence.

My main issue with him is that he's pretty mediocre at even strength. It's not like he's BAD at even strength, he does still have strengths - everything mentioned as PP strengths, plus he competes hard and is good on board battles. But he also has some pretty big even strength weaknesses - he's a slow skater with not great defensive instincts/ability, and isn't much of a possession driver. Overall he's not someone who tilts the ice, the pretty good offence is somewhat cancelled out by slow skating and mediocre at best defence and possession driving. At even strength, I'd say he's an average 2C, not even a strong 2C, and certainly not a 1C. Obviously that sucks at an $11 mil cap hit. He'd be fine at ~$6 mil, but is pretty massive liability on a cap constrained team at $11 mil.

I've felt this way about him for a few years. Early this season, I was actually the most impressed/bullish I've been on him in awhile - he was skating very noticeably better than normal, driving possession more, playing better defensively, was looking legitimately strong at even strength. But now he looks slow and tired again - I'm guessing he just doesn't have the legs to keep that up anymore as the season goes on. He's back to being a PP specialist who is just kinda "meh" at even strength.

As we get close to the playoffs, if we've secured a spot, it could be a good idea to give him a few weeks off pre-playoffs. JT with fresh legs, like we saw early this season, can be a real difference maker, but tired/slow JT isn't.

 

[ACC1224]

Thinking this week plus off is going to do him a world of good.

 

[ULF_55]

Thinking this week plus off is going to do him a world of good.

Yeah, his line needs him at full speed (no pun intended).

You can't always be scoring off individual highlight reel goals.
The line needs to all produce otherwise you can focus on the individual and pay secondary attention to those struggling to keep pace.

 

[Niagara Bill]

He certainly has speed and skating problems as he ages. Incredible at the net and quite good in our end....Is his new position on the wing. Cuts 30 feet off ice length...just asking!

 

[Larcos_Unal]

He certainly has speed and skating problems as he ages. Incredible at the net and quite good in our end....Is his new position on the wing. Cuts 30 feet off ice length...just asking!

He had speed issues in junior, what he has now is more than 'issues'...he's a shell of what he used to be.

 

[hullsy47]

the best part of the Dubas fan club ignoring how crap there hero's summer was in Pitt is them somehow believing after 5 failed off seasons here he would have worked magic had he not been kicked to the curb like the piece of crap he is

Jim Rutherford is years ahead of dubas treliving or Shanahan.
Dubas had no future vision other than the fact his core 4 would have a Stanley Cup by now
Bur he dis make MSLE gobs of money

 

[ToneDog]

Jim Rutherford is years ahead of dubas treliving or Shanahan.
Dubas had no future vision other than the fact his core 4 would have a Stanley Cup by now
Bur he dis make MSLE gobs of money

I thought Rutherford was past his best before data after he left Carolina but he's proved he knows what he is doing by turning around a joke of a Canucks team in such a short time. Dinosaur, my ass.

 

[hullsy47]

I thought Rutherford was past his best before data after he left Carolina but he's proved he knows what he is doing by turning around a joke of a Canucks team in such a short time. Dinosaur, my ass.

I new Jimmy Rutherford when he was with Compuware when they bought the spitfires
He knew how to build and recruit then
If anyone can talk petterson into resigning in Vancouver it's Jimmy and the twins

 

[Leaf4Life79]

No stats can convince me what I see with my own two eyes is wrong.

I'd rather have phanOOPS back as C

 

[notDatsyuk]

I'd rather have phanOOPS back as C

"Now you're getting nasty."

 

[Leaf4Life79]

No stats can convince me what I see with my own two eyes is wrong.

I mean, as much as I didn't like the guy, he could hit like a Mac truck, wtf does Tavares do...dumbass really screwed this team up, the only way we are going anywhere in the playoffs is if Marner is traded for blueline help and another goalie

 

[Leaf4Life79]

Thinking this week plus off is going to do him a world of good.

Yes, lots of lobster and steak dinners, cold ones and palmula

 

[ACC1224]

Yes, lots of lobster and steak dinners, cold ones and palmula

Think he's known as a pretty healthy eater.

 

[Leaf4Life79]

Think he's known as a pretty healthy eater.

Ain't nothing unhealthy about lobster and steak! =)

 

[Puckstuff]

It’s amazing that O’Reilly makes 4.5 and Tavares makes 11.

First of all O’Reilly is better but Imagine what we could with that extra cap space.

 

[4thline]

He's great on the PP, where his elite faceoff ability, hockey IQ, hands, shot and strength around the net really shine. Tips (high tips especially), cleaning up rebounds, getting free in the slot for quick shots, he's terrific at all of that, a great netfront presence.

My main issue with him is that he's pretty mediocre at even strength. It's not like he's BAD at even strength, he does still have strengths - everything mentioned as PP strengths, plus he competes hard and is good on board battles. But he also has some pretty big even strength weaknesses - he's a slow skater with not great defensive instincts/ability, and isn't much of a possession driver. Overall he's not someone who tilts the ice, the pretty good offence is somewhat cancelled out by slow skating and mediocre at best defence and possession driving. At even strength, I'd say he's an average 2C, not even a strong 2C, and certainly not a 1C. Obviously that sucks at an $11 mil cap hit. He'd be fine at ~$6 mil, but is pretty massive liability on a cap constrained team at $11 mil.

I've felt this way about him for a few years. Early this season, I was actually the most impressed/bullish I've been on him in awhile - he was skating very noticeably better than normal, driving possession more, playing better defensively, was looking legitimately strong at even strength. But now he looks slow and tired again - I'm guessing he just doesn't have the legs to keep that up anymore as the season goes on. He's back to being a PP specialist who is just kinda "meh" at even strength.

As we get close to the playoffs, if we've secured a spot, it could be a good idea to give him a few weeks off pre-playoffs. JT with fresh legs, like we saw early this season, can be a real difference maker, but tired/slow JT isn't.

Not much I disagree with. Going into this season I had him as an "ok" 1C Even strength with ++ PP value, probably an ~8m dollar player. He's fallen off at even's this year.
I think we need to move him to wing, and now. He might still be an 8-9m goal scoring LW, not starting rushes deep in the D zone below the puck should mitigate his skating weakness and release him to be a more effective offensive transition player, plus reduce his overall skating load and give us the more "rested" JT. We already have a playmaking offensive C miscast in the bottom 6- lets see what he can do as a 2C

 

[BraveCanadian]

Jim Rutherford is years ahead of dubas treliving or Shanahan.
Dubas had no future vision other than the fact his core 4 would have a Stanley Cup by now
Bur he dis make MSLE gobs of money

Don’t forget he made himself gobs of money now too

 

[ToneDog]

How can you consider yourself a serious contender when your $11m #2C is pedestrian? Expecting him to rebound some after the break but expect the tank to empty by the playoffs.

 

[thewave]

I have as many feelings for him as he has expressions on his face.

 

[Its not your fault]

It’s amazing that O’Reilly makes 4.5 and Tavares makes 11.

First of all O’Reilly is better but Imagine what we could with that extra cap space.

Have Bozak JVR and Hyman? Or Kadri

 

[Gallagbi]

I want him to produce more, but I will just throw this out there



The two get compared a lot so just some food for thought.

I'd be really interested to see how his usage this year compares to the 2 prior. Feels like adding Domi and the 4th line struggles have really changed how we deploy our top 6.

 

[Evilhomer]

I think Tavares will be fine. As others have said, I expect we will see a bump starting with tonight's game because of the extra rest over the past week.

 

[ACC1224]

Lost track over the All Star break, is his pointless streak still going?

 

[IPS]

Not much I disagree with. Going into this season I had him as an "ok" 1C Even strength with ++ PP value, probably an ~8m dollar player. He's fallen off at even's this year.
I think we need to move him to wing, and now. He might still be an 8-9m goal scoring LW

Yeah there's been nothing about his play this year that has him playing even close to that dollar value.

He milked Willy's hot streak for everything it was worth, Willy cooled off and now JT has 1 point in the last 10 game and is the usual defensive liability he always is.