Tribute John Tavares appreciation thread

[Maple Leaf]

Need to trade before he becomes bad

 

[michi510]

Do you think we'll never be able to sign anyone after? I'm not suggesting to scratch him, but I'm not quite sure what you're saying.

Are you saying no one will sign for us again? Do you think anyone will ever sign for the Blackhawks?

Or are you suggesting no one within a certain number of 1000 games will sign for us? Like guys at 950+ games won't sign for us?

If we did scratch him, would Matthews, Marner and Nylander definitely not resign?

“Healthy scratch John Tavares tomorrow, and every game after that, till he agrees to waive his no-trade clause.”

That was exactly what you said, so don’t say “I'm not suggesting to scratch him, but I'm not quite sure what you're saying.” You suggested to scratch the captain on his 1000th game celebration… JT has been solid for us, and you don’t disrespect him like that.

This idea you have is delusional, and will never fly with his teammates. You’re looking at this and suggesting a solution from a fan perspective only. If you don’t see what’s wrong with what you suggested, then there is no point to debate.

 

[Al14]

This is what a post looks like from someone who’s never been on a team.

Actually, I played on hockey, football, baseball, and soccer teams. I'm also a retired hockey coach that was once qualified to coach junior hockey.

Thanks for your comment, however I did qualify my original post by saying that it was my anger talking and what I was about to post was not a serious idea.

 

[All Mod Cons]

“Healthy scratch John Tavares tomorrow, and every game after that, till he agrees to waive his no-trade clause.”

That was exactly what you said, so don’t say “I'm not suggesting to scratch him, but I'm not quite sure what you're saying.” You suggested to scratch the captain on his 1000th game celebration… JT has been solid for us, and you don’t disrespect him like that.

This idea you have is delusional, and will never fly with his teammates. You’re looking at this and suggesting a solution from a fan perspective only. If you don’t see what’s wrong with what you suggested, then there is no point to debate.

I think you have me mixed up with someone else.

 

[WillyC]

Actually, I played on hockey, football, baseball, and soccer teams. I'm also a retired hockey coach that was once qualified to coach junior hockey.

Thanks for your comment, however I did qualify my original post by saying that it was my anger talking and what I was about to post was not a serious idea.

I stand corrected… your post looks like someone who was on a team once… but was scratched from the actual games.

 

[Metroid]

All I see is first round losses. I don’t think he makes 2nd line on a cup team, prove me wrong ask Boston or TB what they would give in a trade for him. It won’t be much.

Comes in an appreciation thread to whine and be all negative. .... Smart.

 

[Puckstuff]

“Healthy scratch John Tavares tomorrow, and every game after that, till he agrees to waive his no-trade clause.”

That was exactly what you said, so don’t say “I'm not suggesting to scratch him, but I'm not quite sure what you're saying.” You suggested to scratch the captain on his 1000th game celebration… JT has been solid for us, and you don’t disrespect him like that.

This idea you have is delusional, and will never fly with his teammates. You’re looking at this and suggesting a solution from a fan perspective only. If you don’t see what’s wrong with what you suggested, then there is no point to debate.

Why do so many people have a problem with suggesting we should ask Tavares to waive his NMC? I'm not talking to you directly just generally speaking to an open audience.

Your locally grocery store works on a 2-3 % margin. Your über driver makes $16-$18 an hour.
Your barber works long hours for an average income. Why does it seem like it’s some untouchable and ungodly subject to ask a player of Tavares’ “stature” who makes 11 million dollars a year to move his NMC? He has 3 years left on his contract and the season is only 6 months long each year. He is a laborer not some king. We can and should ask him to move his nmc in the offseason. He will have an equally great life and career if we move him. And i'm not too concerned about the leafs reputation. I'd rather be known as a cut throat team that wins like the TB Rays rather then a team that does the wrong thing and never wins.

 

[WillyC]

Why do so many people have a problem with people suggesting we should ask Tavares to waive his NMC? I'm not talking to you directly just generally speaking to an open audience.

Your locally grocery store works on a 2-3 % margin. Your über driver makes $16-$18 an hour.
Your barber works long hours for an average income. Why does it seem like it’s some untouchable and ungodly subject to ask a player of Tavares’ “stature” who makes 11 million dollars a year to move his NMC? He has 3 years left on his contract and the season is only 6 months long each year. He is a aborer not some king. We can and should ask him to move his nmc in the offseason. He will have an equally great life and career if we move him. And i'm not too concerned about the leafs reputation. I'd rather be known as a cut throat team that wins like the TB Rays rather then a team that does the wrong thing and never wins.

You sound like sitting Tavares or forcing him off the team is a winning strategy… it’s not.

You win with him… that’s why we signed him as an UFA to be our #2 center.

I get it, you’re one of these dudes that thinks if you had $4 million of JT’s salary… you’d show us how to win the cup.

 

[Al14]

You’re going to scratch him on his 1000th game? Do you think players will want to resign/sign here after?

No, not really, however he needs to start leading our Leafs to victory over bottom feeders. I would, however, might consider stripping him of the Captaincy.

At some point, consistently losing to bottom feeders has to have consequences!!!

 

[Stephen]

You sound like sitting Tavares or forcing him off the team is a winning strategy… it’s not.

You win with him… that’s why we signed him as an UFA to be our #2 center.

I get it, you’re one of these dudes that thinks if you had $4 million of JT’s salary… you’d show us how to win the cup.

In term of bang for the buck, Tavares isn't the best value, though he is treading water at the PPG or slightly under level so that's better than a clear decline.

In terms of cap management, it's a complicated question. His $11 million salary inflated the Matthews and Marner deals years ago, and capped the Leafs ability to make additional core upgrades and squeezed out guys like Hyman, forced the Marleau dump (costing Brown) and put the team into a Money Ball stance.

I'd say he's giving us $8 million in value right now, but it also isn't possible to find a similar replacement at that price and shop for another $3 million player. It's all the built in, hidden opportunity costs over the past 5 years which makes this project not the best value.

 

[Dayjobdave]

Tavares has been great this year. In fact he’s been a great signing.

congratulations to him on game 1,000. I hope he gets a goal or three.

 

[WillyC]

No, not really, however he needs to start leading our Leafs to victory over bottom feeders. I would, however, might consider stripping him of the Captaincy.

At some point, consistently losing to bottom feeders has to have consequences!!!

Seriously, we’re tied for 3rd overall… Captain John Tavares has 49 points after 50 games.

These appreciation threads really bring out the worst… strip him of the C?

Again 3rd overall… 49 points after 50 games.

 

[Al14]

Seriously, we’re tied for 3rd overall… Captain John Tavares has 49 points after 50 games.

These appreciation threads really bring out the worst… strip him of the C?

Again 3rd overall… 49 points after 50 games.

Our Leafs could be right with Boston in the standings if they didn't squander valuable points against bottom feeders!!!

If Keefe can't lead the team as the coach alone, it's up to the Captain to chip in and lead as well.

As Leaf fans, we need to expect better results. Continually losing to bottom feeders is unacceptable, and should not be tolerated by management, the players, and fans alike!

JMHO.

 

[hamzarocks]

Seriously, we’re tied for 3rd overall… Captain John Tavares has 49 points after 50 games.

These appreciation threads really bring out the worst… strip him of the C?

Again 3rd overall… 49 points after 50 games.

being PPG in the current league is not that impressive...

At 11M we should be getting better than the 34th-36th highest point producer (not going by PPG or he would be lower).

He has been fine for a player who has declined a decent bit since we signed him, but he's very reliant on 16 or 88 now. No longer a guy who can play with Bunting and Jarkrok and be a ~ppg player.

I don't think he is a capable line driver anymore like he was for us until 2021.

Has 5-6 games with no 34 to show how good he is. Top-line minutes, a lot of touches on the PP coming up. Should see his production increase if he still wants to show he's elite.

 

[WillyC]

Our Leafs could be right with Boston in the standings if they didn't squander valuable points against bottom feeders!!!

If Keefe can't lead the team as the coach alone, it's up to the Captain to chip in and lead as well.

As Leaf fans, we need to expect better results. Continually losing to bottom feeders is unacceptable, and should not be tolerated by management, the players, and fans alike!

JMHO.

Boston is on a generational record pace… and you’re whining in Captain JT’s appreciation thread, that we should be keeping pace with them?

3rd overall is keeping pace… and JT has been fantastic for us.

 

[Stephen]

being PPG in the current league is not that impressive...

At 11M we should be getting better than the 34th-36th highest point producer (not going by PPG or he would be lower).

He has been fine for a player who has declined a decent bit since we signed him, but he's very reliant on 16 or 88 now. No longer a guy who can play with Bunting and Jarkrok and be a ~ppg player.

I don't think he is a capable line driver anymore like he was for us until 2021.

Has 5-6 games with no 34 to show how good he is. Top-line minutes, a lot of touches on the PP coming up. Should see his production increase if he still wants to show he's elite.

I'm not really sure if Tavares should be expected to be elite. It's very hard to describe his game.

For starters, he's sort of patterned after Sidney Crosby, who has been described as a "high end grinder" who can dominate down low. But if you eliminate the "high end" grinder part of the equation, does that just make Tavares a grinder?

Well, not quite, because he's not as effective at the grind and dirty work as a Zach Hyman. But he has extremely elite hands. But his skating is such a mismatch that his elite hands can only be activated once open ice has been taken away and he can do the pull back deke move, use the heavy wrist shot or try and score a garbage goal. These aren't always "dominant" 5 on 5 traits.

Furthermore, his defense isn't really that reliable. When things are going well, he gets a ton of press about how great he is on the two way responsibilities, how he dominates the faceoff circle. But he'll also freely backhand pucks into dangerous open areas causing turnovers as well and is a much poorer option defensively than Matthews or Marner.

 

[Racer88]

You just made your team worse.

Not really. The team had the same relative success with those 2.
The team has not had any measurable success in the playoff since.
if we really want to be accurate I would take Kadri, Bunting and the savings in cap space to upgrade elsewhere.
I know you are now going to say but that’s not the question I asked and you’re right it’s not. Your question was a poor one
The real problem is not Bunting it is the 11 million wasted on Tavares. That money would have been better spent on addressing the needs of the club like Defence and goal tending.

 

[notDatsyuk]

You’re going to scratch him on his 1000th game? Do you think players will want to resign/sign here after?

I can see a couple of possible outcomes.

Scratching him until he agrees to waiving his no-trade (and trading him) might be the last straw, and result in firing Dubas and possibly Shanahan.

It might show players and their agents that he actually has a pair, and help in future negotiations.

It might show that we're serious enough about winning to actively dump a bad contract, and therefore actually attract players who are willing to sacrifice to win.

Hell, it might even be enough to wake up some of the suits in the golds!

 

[Nineteen67]

Tavares is a good guy, plays hard but for some reason he’s not player that’s fun to watch. I don’t know if its his personality bleeding over to his bland play or what, but it seems he should be playing in a market like Dallas or Florida.

 

[LeafsNation75]

 

[Dekes For Days]

Not really.

Yes really. Your decision would make the team worse.

The team has not had any measurable success in the playoff since.

You really need to learn how to determine what's good or bad through means other than what round a team featuring that player got to sometime.

if we really want to be accurate I would take Kadri, Bunting and the savings in cap space to upgrade elsewhere.

You've still made your team worse. Empty cap space doesn't help the team, and it's pretty telling that you don't know how to spend it to even close the gap between the best years of Kadri's contract and the worst years of Tavares' contract.

I know you are now going to say but that’s not the question I asked and you’re right it’s not. Your question was a poor one

The question wasn't poor at all. You've largely missed the point. We have Bunting. He wasn't missed out on by having a Tavares.

The real problem is not Bunting it is the 11 million wasted on Tavares. That money would have been better spent on addressing the needs of the club like Defence and goal tending.

Tavares is not a waste. He's a great player that brings a lot of impact to this team. And we were able to sign him to address the center need of the club and add a ton of impact for no expended assets, and still have the space to address the other needs of the club like defense and goaltending, despite an unexpected flat cap, to end up with one of the best defensive teams in the league and some of the best goaltending in the league.

 

[Al14]

Now that his 1000th NHL hockey game is in the books, congratulations John Tavares!!! 1000 games in the NHL is quite an achievement.

Well done sir!!!

 

[WillyC]

51 games 51 points… he’s been doing that for the last 1,000 games.

Looks like his 2 Sons were having a blast, watching Dad get honoured like that.

 

[Stephen]

A memorable 1000th game for John Tavares, looked good vs Washington.

 

[MAB1]

being PPG in the current league is not that impressive...

At 11M we should be getting better than the 34th-36th highest point producer (not going by PPG or he would be lower).

He has been fine for a player who has declined a decent bit since we signed him, but he's very reliant on 16 or 88 now. No longer a guy who can play with Bunting and Jarkrok and be a ~ppg player.

I don't think he is a capable line driver anymore like he was for us until 2021.

Has 5-6 games with no 34 to show how good he is. Top-line minutes, a lot of touches on the PP coming up. Should see his production increase if he still wants to show he's elite.

Tavares never gets put in those opportunities, he's not on the Isles anymore. He came here to play with elite wing talent. I wouldn't be surprised if he could still maintain production with those guys while being on the top powerplay unit with the big 3.

There's nothing to suggest the Leafs can't run:

Nylander-Matthews-Marner
Bunting-Tavares-Jarnkrok/Knies