How are you feeling about Tavares these days?

[Evilhomer]

Tavares isn't creating anything , he hangs around the slot/net front waiting until an offensive opportunity is created for him which he isn't cashing in on .

you've shit on Bert for costing JT points and said Willie is more dependent on Johnny offensively than the other way around , lol

and as i already said , only a little over a season to go before i can hopefully not listen to people like yourselves spinning fairytales to defend the golden boys poor play

defensively he's crap , always the last man back and he just wanders around the D zone cluelessly , but hey he's Johnny so everyone else needs to be blamed like they've always been since jr to deflect attention away from him

I am curious to see if he will permanently lose his PP1 spot to Bertuzzi, especially in the playoffs.

 

[hotpaws]

Are you confusing me with someone else? I don't remember everything I write but it feels like you're projecting onto me for some reason.

I've actually called for the Bertuzzi/Tavares/Nylander line to stay together as ai thought they complimented each other well until Tavares seemed to mesh with the kids so well and Bert and Domi finally found some finish with Nylander.

I don't think I'm that far off base with my views on this.

go back and read your posts and you'll se i'm not confusing you with anybody

and of course you want JT to stay with them since you know away from Willie or Mitch his poor play will be evident to anyone outside of Johnny's family and friends

 

[hotpaws]

I am curious to see if he will permanently lose his PP1 spot to Bertuzzi, especially in the playoffs.

I hope they keep JT off the first pp even if Bert doesn't covert any higher of the opportunities created for him since all JT's being doing lately is clogging the shooting lanes .

Jt's just playing to try to pad his stats by always positioning himself between whoever has the puck and the net . you need to move in or away depending on the play but he hasn't been doing that and that's why i assume they pulled him form the top unit .

 

[Zybalto]

go back and read your posts and you'll se i'm not confusing you with anybody

and of course you want JT to stay with them since you know away from Willie or Mitch his poor play will be evident to anyone outside of Johnny's family and friends

I at least expected an example.

Go grab a hug dude. You're one of the people way too angry as the team is playing their best hockey of the year.

 

[RunItBackAgain]

I hope they keep JT off the first pp even if Bert doesn't covert any higher of the opportunities created for him since all JT's being doing lately is clogging the shooting lanes .

Jt's just playing to try to pad his stats by always positioning himself between whoever has the puck and the net . you need to move in or away depending on the play but he hasn't been doing that and that's why i assume they pulled him form the top unit .

He also never gets in the goalies sight lines. He’s always off to a side looking for a tip instead of letting some of the best accuracy shooters in the world pick corners.

 

[hotpaws]

I at least expected an example.

Go grab a hug dude. You're one of the people way too angry as the team is playing their best hockey of the year.

and if i wasted my time showing you examples you'd just spin/deflect some more just like your doing now

i'm angry ? keep trying to shift the goalposts

i'm thrilled with the present hot streak

-Domi is continuing his good play
-Bert has picked it up
-Willie has bounced back since he shed a 200 lb plus anchor off his back
-Matty's on fire
-Mitch has gotten some sleep and is back
-Sammy's bounced back to being decent

and the best

Dubie's fan boi's have disappeared for the most part !!!

 

[hamzarocks]

and if i wasted my time showing you examples you just spin/deflect some more just like your doing now

i'm angry ? keep trying to shift the goalposts

i'm thrilled with the present hot streak

-Domi is continuing his good play
-Bert has picked it up
-Willie has bounced back since he shed a 200 lb plus anchor off his back
-Matty's on fire
-Mitch has gotten some sleep and is back
-Sammy's bounced back to being decent

and the best

Dubie's fan boi's have disappeared for the most part !!!

Tavares is mostly known by everyone now at year 6 as not worth his deal

He has very few die hard fans left.

At this pt we can only hope for him to be a positive on the third line by playing well with some grinders and even if his production isnt great ( say he gives us a 55 pt pace) that is fine if the 1st two lines can stay hot and Tavares line doesnt give many goals (which I dont thinj they habe since he came back)

We need to accept we have a 5-6M 3rd line C or 2nd line winger making 11M for another 1.25 years.

We just need tavares to adapth and accept the role and usage. As long as he doesnt pout or have an ego for the reduced role, don't think we can complain to much.

I assume He will only be back at 3 or 4M (which he can live upto imo as I can see 45-55 pts on a 3rd line role still for another few years after 2025) but that is if we have some success this year and next. If we don't he is up their with Phaneuf for worst captain since 1967

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

I think his role should be to help younger and faster players by facilitating board play. When he plays on the top lines he often becomes a puck hog trying to justify his paycheck.

 

[Gabriel426]

The take away with JT moving to 3C is that he can play his game instead of adjusting his style to play with Willie or MM.
no doubt that JT been struggling with Willie over the past seasons and this year was more evident due to his aging.
Being away from Willie, he can just be himself which is great to see and having Robbie and McMann, 2 players who will back check like crazy only help masks JT okay defensive game.
Hope Keefe don’t galaxy brain it and move him back to 2C and PP1 in the first sign of trouble

 

[notDatsyuk]

I'm still a huge Tavares fan. I don't buy the idea that him signing here somehow ruined the rebuild.

He's not the quickest player out there. And he clearly gets a lot of his points from the powerplay. But it's not like scoring on the powerplay is a bad thing. Special teams are a big deciding factor in the playoffs.

I'm pretty glad he's on the team. And having the depth to be able to put him on a 3rd line is luxury we should all be thrilled about. If we see lines similar to this in the playoffs, I'd bet he'll cause the oppositions coach and #3C some headaches.

For most of us, it's nothing against JT per se. The problem was that we needed D and goaltending, but went and paid top 1C money for a 2C that we really didn't need.

Having him as a 3C is great, but paying a 3C 11M isn't.

 

[Mr Papagoergyo]

I get the feeling it won't but....
Its time for the C to come off his jersey.

 

[Jojalu]

Ever stop to think thats part of the reason he is declining so rapidly. I mean Keefe is the guy that was playing Marner with 15 games before the playoff 30mins.

This has more to do with the Leafs being in some blowouts.

Tavares was still out there with the 3rd line, while Matthews, Marner and Nylander were playing 3 mins in the third.

Say what you will about him, but he is working hard in his new role without complaining.

 

[ACC1224]

No complaints about Tavares lately, he's been great(I know he makes too much)

 

[Leafsfan74]

It needs to be solely about winning and putting the team first. As long as a player has this as his primary objective than I will always be a fan.

Tavares has said the right things publicly. He wants to win, however it can be achieved. Not only will the team benefit, but John will too with easier matchups, fresh, inspired line mates and the opportunity to potentially do real damage in the post-season.

One thing is for certain for anyone who has ever been in organized sports even at a scholastic level, winning is everything. Phil Kessel received a ring as a healthy scratch an entire playoff run and he was the most positive and supportive in the dressing room.

I can't remember any player stats from Leaf Cup wins or, none won after I was born, but, I remember the names. Ditto for current Cup champs. Anyone remember Crosby or Kanes stats when they were winning Cups? How about Los Angeles or St. Louis stats?

Nobody remembers nor cares. Who would want to earn millions in their career but never win a Cup You can even pass the ring on to your next of kind, a Cup winner is forever.

 

[banks]

For most of us, it's nothing against JT per se. The problem was that we needed D and goaltending, but went and paid top 1C money for a 2C that we really didn't need.

Having him as a 3C is great, but paying a 3C 11M isn't.

When Tavares signed, the Leafs still had Freddy Andersen for the next 3 years. He was carrying the load, with the 2nd most games played of any goalie over the previous 2 years. His stats were on par with NHL leaders like Holtby, Rinne, and Vasilevskiy in that span. There looked to be no need for a change in net.

No, the Leafs didn't need goaltending when Tavares signed.

 

[Budz]

Tavares game impact is massive.

People are getting fooled by how slow and boring he looks. His technical game is still in the top 10 for forwards across the league. He's going to pop in 800+ faceoff wins to boot.

I mean, look at our record over the past 2 weeks. Tavares 5v5 ice time needs to remain high and justifiably so.

Tavares is a necessity for playoff hockey. I wouldn't feel safe if he went down with injury and we had to play without him.

Well said, good post.

Casual Leaf’s hockey fans don’t even understand what they are watching. They follow lazy narratives. This guy sucks, this guy is washed. Yawn…

I like Keefe using JT with the odd shift with 34/16. Get’s his ice time up. We tilt the ice.

 

[Leaf Lander]

Tavares is aging and wearing down.

The fact that he didn't score in an empty net last game tells me he puttered out

He can still play but he is a 60 point player now and will earn himself a 4-5 mil 3 yr contract next time as a ufa.

 

[Dekes For Days]

When Tavares signed, the Leafs still had Freddy Andersen for the next 3 years. He was carrying the load, with the 2nd most games played of any goalie over the previous 2 years. His stats were on par with NHL leaders like Holtby, Rinne, and Vasilevskiy in that span. There looked to be no need for a change in net.

No, the Leafs didn't need goaltending when Tavares signed.

Yep. We had just spent a 1st and a 2nd on Andersen two years prior, and he was excellent through 2018. We needed defense and center more than a goalie at that point. So we added a top center and a top defenseman that year.

 

[IPS]

Lol who honestly perpetuates this nonsense that we needed a center (let alone an $11M one) when we already had Matthews and Kadri down the middle?

The signing was done because it was a chance to acquire a high profile UFA - not because it filled some positional need.

 

[TheShape]

Less is more, 3C is where he belongs if we want maximum return at this point. I had JT penciled in as a top 6LW next season but now I'm having doubts. I still think even on the wing he would slow down Matthews/Marner or Domi/Nylander.

Just hope Keefe doesn't panic and revert to the old lines after a loss.

 

[sxvnert]

Well said, good post.

Casual Leaf’s hockey fans don’t even understand what they are watching. They follow lazy narratives. This guy sucks, this guy is washed. Yawn…

I like Keefe using JT with the odd shift with 34/16. Get’s his ice time up. We tilt the ice.

None of which justifies the 11m price tag or guaranteed second line center spot.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Lol who honestly perpetuates this nonsense that we needed a center (let alone an $11M one) when we already had Matthews and Kadri down the middle?

Our organizational center depth was just a 20 year old Matthews and an unreliable Kadri who had just spent the playoffs suspended and turned our 2nd line center into a late 30s Plekanec rental. It could be argued that we didn't absolutely need a center as good as Tavares, and we could have split Tavares up into a different center and another forward to replace our departing offense, but center was still a need, Tavares did both, and Tavares was a better bet to live up to that cap allocation than a couple middle-tier depth pieces.

 

[Budz]

None of which justifies the 11m price tag or guaranteed second line center spot.

Nor do I say that. I was just talking about his recent play. Didn’t know I was walking into a “ should JT have been signed debate”.

However, the value of a contract should not be solely analyzed in one year vacuums either. I won’t be staying for this debate, but his poor play narrative is a little overblown.

Salary cap is the worst thing for fan sports talk ever.

 

[notDatsyuk]

When Tavares signed, the Leafs still had Freddy Andersen for the next 3 years. He was carrying the load, with the 2nd most games played of any goalie over the previous 2 years. His stats were on par with NHL leaders like Holtby, Rinne, and Vasilevskiy in that span. There looked to be no need for a change in net.

No, the Leafs didn't need goaltending when Tavares signed.

25th in gaa (30+ games), but respectable.

I notice you ignored the rest.

Ok, G was fine, but we needed D and LW - centre was the least of our needs.

 

[banks]

25th in gaa (30+ games), but respectable.

I notice you ignored the rest.

Ok, G was fine, but we needed D and LW - centre was the least of our needs.

I'm happy to admit that the D needed work, and that C was not a position of weakness. A good team could have been built without Tavares.

But an opportunity to bring in a premier player doesn't come often. Bringing in Tavares wasn't some death knell. I'd argue that the real fault was how absolutely terrible Barrie was, and the bad ride on the goalie carousel since Freddy.

I'm not some Dubas fanboy. I don't like a lot of moves this team has made, from JFJ to Tre. But Tavares has never been a problem. And having him on the team shouldn't have prevented management from fixing the defense.