How is John Tavares a minus player on the Islanders?

[DearDiary]

I'll have to check some stats on this when I can.

Seguin looks stronger defensively than Tavares to me.

From what I've watched this season, Seguin floats much more. Advanced stats aren't going to tell you that

 

[PWJunior]

A #1 Center is asked to score? So pretty much like every top center. If Tavares can only manage ppg while focusing only on offense, what does that tell you?

I'm sure Tavares can be excellent defensively if told to play that way, but what matters if he can play at a high level offensively while doing it. Looking at what he's done over his career, he can't do both, only one.

Can only manage PPG, what the hell are your expectations? Just how many PPG players are there in the freaking NHL? Maybe you need to temper your expectations because they're pretty out of whack if you really feel that way.

So Tavares isn't a 2-way beast, oh my god what will Isles fans do? Oh no. Like we give a rat's ass. He does what is asked of him. If they had someone else taking on the top defensive lines/pairing every night, then I'm sure he'd go nuts on the weaker defensive lines so he's not a minus 1 as he is now.

Geez, it's as if he's a minus 25 and people are harping on it.

 

[MattMartin]

Islanders are playing great and he is a -1..You know what?

 

[DearDiary]

Can only manage PPG, what the hell are your expectations? Just how many PPG players are there in the freaking NHL? Maybe you need to temper your expectations because they're pretty out of whack if you really feel that way.

So Tavares isn't a 2-way beast, oh my god what will Isles fans do? Oh no. Like we give a rat's ass. He does what is asked of him. If they had someone else taking on the top defensive lines/pairing every night, then I'm sure he'd go nuts on the weaker defensive lines so he's not a minus.

You're misunderstanding what I said. Other Centers are asked to do the same thing, put out offense. The difference is that they're putting up the same points as Tavares while better defensively.

As for your last point, again you could make that argument for any top player. If guys like Giroux and Getzlaf didn't face other teams top defensive pairings and didn't have to put effort defensively, they'd go "nuts" as well on the weaker lines

 

[boredmale]

Islanders are playing great and he is a -1..You know what?

I think this "i don't care" represents my opinion better

 

[GrandmaSlices51631]

Are you for real? He's a -1. One good game away from being +2 or +3. 1st Line is our scoring line and if you've watched Isles hockey you'd know that their not exactly forechecking hard.

 

[PWJunior]

You're misunderstanding what I said. Other Centers are asked to do the same thing, put out offense. The difference is that they're putting up the same points as Tavares while better defensively.

As for your last point, again you could make that argument for any top player. If guys like Giroux and Getzlaf didn't face other teams top defensive pairings and didn't have to put effort defensively, they'd go "nuts" as well on the weaker lines

How am I misunderstanding? Tavares is almost top-10 in scoring and is 1 point shy of being a PPG, where are these multitudes of #1 centers who are scoring PPG and sporting great +/- stats? I guess there must be a ton that I don't know about.

You're trying to ping Tavares for not being what you want yet how many are out there? Again, your expectations are out of whack.

 

[DearDiary]

How am I misunderstanding? Tavares is almost top-10 in scoring and is 1 point shy of being a PPG, where are these multitudes of #1 centers who are scoring PPG and sporting great +/- stats? I guess there must be a ton that I don't know about.

You're trying to ping Tavares for not being what you want yet how many are out there? Again, your expectations are out of whack.

My initial point was that Tavares is 2nd only to Seguin for worst #1 center defensively

The whole reason my argument deterred was because you said Tavares played good defensively in the Olympics and that meant he could do it in the NHL as well if the Islanders didn't need him to provide offense. And even better if he could go "nuts" on weaker lines.

You could say that for ANY good player in the league

You're the one that started me on making such expectations, don't act like I'm trying to put Tavares down

 

[Darth Milbury]

I have no concerns about JT defensively. He's not Mike Peca. He's an excellent forechecker though, and when on his game (and, again, he had a terrible first half), a decent backchecker. When he needs to be used in the a defensive role, like in the closing minutes of a game, he usually does great.

I'm not worried about the minus and think he'll finish strong.

I do think he looked like he was in a fog for most of the first half though - a shadow of the guy who I've seen recently.

 

[boredmale]

Tavares +2 this game now he is a plus player. Congrats on yet another hfboards jinx thread

 

[PlaceboFan]

Why did you time this thread just before the Bruins game .

 

[PWJunior]

Why did you time this thread just before the Bruins game .

Tavares is beasting pretty good tonight, he's legit.

 

[Maple Leaf]

What do people have against Tavares

Always doubting him

They jelly

 

[ScaredStreit]

Tavares is no longer below a PPG pace, so now people need something else to point to.

 

[RMimagery]

Tavares +2 this game now he is a plus player. Congrats on yet another hfboards jinx thread

16 pts last 11 games (8g 8a). Now top 10 in scoring and ppg 48 in 48.

His goal tonight was very creative, made something from nothing but the forecheck when he stole the puck from Chara starting the second goal was almost more impressive.

 

[boredmale]

D'oh Empty net goal gets him back to 0 for the night

 

[zaYG]

Guy was a monster tonight against the Bruins and besides Strome, really the only player who terrified me. Who cares about plus minus?

 

[Fire Sweeney]

The Isles, a team with defensive stalwarts such as Strait, Hickey, Boychuk, etc.

 

[blinds]

Guy was a monster tonight against the Bruins and besides Strome, really the only player who terrified me. Who cares about plus minus?

People who care about goals against? No one's saying he isn't great offensively.

 

[ScaredStreit]

Tavares +2 this game now he is a plus player. Congrats on yet another hfboards jinx thread

You just jinxed yourself by calling a thread a jinx thread....

 

[RMimagery]

The Isles, a team with defensive stalwarts such as Strait, Hickey, Boychuk, etc.

Don't quite understand those 3 guys being put together.

Boychuk has been on the ice for 31 goals for and just 10 against.

 

[Pumpkin Pal]

Guy was a monster tonight against the Bruins and besides Strome, really the only player who terrified me. Who cares about plus minus?

Yeah, he was the best player on the ice tonight. Scored a goal 1v4 and stole a puck from Chara to create another, both 5v5.

But his goalie gave up a wrister goal from the blue line and he was on the ice for an ENG, so he's even. Must not have been a good game for him

Plus minus is a worthless stat.

 

[SLAPSHOT723]

The Isles, a team with defensive stalwarts such as Strait, Hickey, Boychuk, etc.

Do you think Boychuk is bad defensively or something?

 

[redbull]

Guy was a monster tonight against the Bruins and besides Strome, really the only player who terrified me. Who cares about plus minus?

He's been dominant and scary for maybe the last three weeks. He was awful most of the year, awful. And having Conacher on LW just made it worse.

He looks like the pre-Olympics Tavares now.

This Isles team is really good. They were average at best, even "flat" at times, and still had 45 shots, were robbed by Rask (Nelson misses empty net) and had a chance to win.

I thought BOS was really good defensively, opportunistic on offense and played a smart road game to get two big points.

Chara's not the player he was 3-4 years ago but still (arguably) the toughest defenseman to generate offense against. And I never get tired of watching Bergeron play, what an impressive hockey player. He must see the ice in slow motion, especially in the defensive zone.

Lucic forgot how he's supposed to play.

 

[GOLFWANG]

our dumb coach often puts him against other teams first lines