Tribute John Tavares appreciation thread

[authentic]

69 games… 69 points

 

[Notsince67]

A lick away from the abyss

 

[Larcos_Unal]

It really is a testament to how good JT's hands & shot are that he can be a PPG player while skating like the fat kid in bantam.

 

[Stephen]

It really is a testament to how good JT's hands & shot are that he can be a PPG player while skating like the fat kid in bantam.

It’s quite remarkable that once again, Tavares has PPG statistics this year… but not necessarily in a good way.

I try to compare him to a guy like Mats Sundin who had very similar, even keeled production year to year but then think about the shift to shift impact 5 on 5, or the power play command and it’s just not the same league.

Tavares has had some really good and impactful stretches this year and some no wifi coverage where he’s giving you zero bars. Overall just seem like the you’re just trying to gently glide down this contract with minimal turbulence and discomfort.

 

[TMLAM34]

Long term picture, he needs to be move to the wing.

 

[Aashir Mallik]

I don’t get this guy at all

He’s a PPG player when he plays with nylander
He’s a PPG player when he plays with marner

He scores less in a higher scoring era with better linemates. Even if we say it’s cuz of prime, this Tavares playing with Mitch Marner should be better than prime Tavares with kyle freaking okposo. That makes no sense to me.

 

[VanW27]

It’s quite remarkable that once again, Tavares has PPG statistics this year… but not necessarily in a good way.

I try to compare him to a guy like Mats Sundin who had very similar, even keeled production year to year but then think about the shift to shift impact 5 on 5, or the power play command and it’s just not the same league.

Tavares has had some really good and impactful stretches this year and some no wifi coverage where he’s giving you zero bars. Overall just seem like the you’re just trying to gently glide down this contract with minimal turbulence and discomfort.

I know people like to crap on +/- but he's been awful defensively and the +/- is interesting to look at if nothing else.

Lots of crapping on Nylander last year and then the start of this year because of his plus/minus, but then he and Marner switch and Nylander suddenly goes from something like -5 to +15 playing with Matthews, meanwhile Marner's plus/minus quickly plummets into the negatives. Eventually Marner was able to help pull up Tavares a bit and over the season rebuild his own +/- as a top end defensive forward.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

It really is a testament to how good JT's hands & shot are that he can be a PPG player while skating like the fat kid in bantam.

So so true .. he is a prime example of old saying there are just some guys who can put da bisquet in da basket .. ODOG was same .. Shutt was same .. terrible skaters but insane ability to score which never goes away

 

[Larcos_Unal]

So so true .. he is a prime example of old saying there are just some guys who can put da bisquet in da basket .. ODOG was same .. Shutt was same .. terrible skaters but insane ability to score which never goes away

He's playing at around 215lbs, might make sense to get closer to 200-205 as he gets older cause goddamn he's gonna get to Jason Allison levels soon.

 

[ULF_55]

He's playing at around 215lbs, might make sense to get closer to 200-205 as he gets older cause goddamn he's gonna get to Jason Allison levels soon.

Well, he'd arrive in time for the 2nd. rebound.

 

[Stephen]

I know people like to crap on +/- but he's been awful defensively and the +/- is interesting to look at if nothing else.

Lots of crapping on Nylander last year and then the start of this year because of his plus/minus, but then he and Marner switch and Nylander suddenly goes from something like -5 to +15 playing with Matthews, meanwhile Marner's plus/minus quickly plummets into the negatives. Eventually Marner was able to help pull up Tavares a bit and over the season rebuild his own +/- as a top end defensive forward.

I find JT is a pretty unreliable defensive player and my hunch is it has nothing to do with physical decline or foot speed at all. Over the years you hear what a beast he is in the two way game, but that’s very exaggerated based on his faceoff prowess and how dogged he looks while checking.

In terms of puck management, he has very unaware high danger tendencies. Like he’ll thoughlessly kick out a puck out to open ice without looking creating massive turnovers in the neutral zone. Always tries that cut back deke in open ice with no support or momentum and or stick handle into 2 guys.

Basically, I think he learned a lot of bad habits on the Island as a young player and outran those mistakes offensively. Now he’s a veteran and in that trusted role but he’s miscast.

 

[ULF_55]

No. Not interested.

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[JT AM da real deal]

I find JT is a pretty unreliable defensive player and my hunch is it has nothing to do with physical decline or foot speed at all. Over the years you hear what a beast he is in the two way game, but that’s very exaggerated based on his faceoff prowess and how dogged he looks while checking.

In terms of puck management, he has very unaware high danger tendencies. Like he’ll thoughlessly kick out a puck out to open ice without looking creating massive turnovers in the neutral zone. Always tries that cut back deke in open ice with no support or momentum and or stick handle into 2 guys.

Basically, I think he learned a lot of bad habits on the Island as a young player and outran those mistakes offensively. Now he’s a veteran and in that trusted role but he’s miscast.

He sucked on defense back in his Marlboros days too .. fact is he has never been a good defender .. but dude has hands, strength and scoring ability like few others do

 

[Stephen]

He sucked on defense back in his Marlboros days too .. fact is he has never been a good defender .. but dude has hands, strength and scoring ability like few others do

Tavares has always been a hockey world darling so there are a lot of reputational inaccuracies reported about his game. Such as the quality of his two way play. It’s simply not there and when other guys in the Big 3 have improved you kind of notice it more.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Rocket Richard
That is pretty good

 

[WillyC]

71 games… 72 points

 

[Gabriel426]

No. Not interested.

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View attachment 674591

That’s not Marleau in the back, right?

 

[authentic]

I don’t get this guy at all

He’s a PPG player when he plays with nylander
He’s a PPG player when he plays with marner

He scores less in a higher scoring era with better linemates. Even if we say it’s cuz of prime, this Tavares playing with Mitch Marner should be better than prime Tavares with kyle freaking okposo. That makes no sense to me.

The game sped up and he didn't, I think that explains it.

 

[nuck]

I find JT is a pretty unreliable defensive player and my hunch is it has nothing to do with physical decline or foot speed at all. Over the years you hear what a beast he is in the two way game, but that’s very exaggerated based on his faceoff prowess and how dogged he looks while checking.

In terms of puck management, he has very unaware high danger tendencies. Like he’ll thoughlessly kick out a puck out to open ice without looking creating massive turnovers in the neutral zone. Always tries that cut back deke in open ice with no support or momentum and or stick handle into 2 guys.

Basically, I think he learned a lot of bad habits on the Island as a young player and outran those mistakes offensively. Now he’s a veteran and in that trusted role but he’s miscast.

I think JT is miscast in Keefe's system. He didn't go from 47g to 30ish in a vacuum. He is being coached and used differently than under Babcock. Tavares would likely have more success with a different coach in spite of his ossified legs and by the same token Keefe would likely have more success with a player with more dangles.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Tavares has always been a hockey world darling so there are a lot of reputational inaccuracies reported about his game. Such as the quality of his two way play. It’s simply not there and when other guys in the Big 3 have improved you kind of notice it more.

There are certainly a lot of inaccuracies spread about Tavares... in this forum. What's actually happened is the likes of Matthews/Marner have evolved in top-tier, selke-caliber defensive forwards, and Tavares tends to look worse in comparison, which skews people's perception.

 

[Stephen]

There are certainly a lot of inaccuracies spread about Tavares... in this forum. What's actually happened is the likes of Matthews/Marner have evolved in top-tier, selke-caliber defensive forwards, and Tavares tends to look worse in comparison, which skews people's perception.

We all watch the games and Tavares’ asset is faceoff wins, and effort level. He has limited foot speed which magnifies the poor decisions he makes with the puck in open ice like when he chooses to dangle with no momentum or blueline support or when he makes no look passes off the wall which get picked off.

 

[Dekes For Days]

We all watch the games and Tavares’ asset is faceoff wins, and effort level. He has limited foot speed which magnifies the poor decisions he makes with the puck in open ice like when he chooses to dangle with no momentum or blueline support or when he makes no look passes off the wall which get picked off.

Yes, we all watch the games, and some people seem to only remember and exaggerate isolated negative moments, while others can remember both the negative and the positive moments and recognize the entire picture of what they bring to the team.

 

[WillyC]

The 3 assists Captain JT had last night were top notch… basically, all 3 goals do not happen without JT’s excellent play.

 

[TMLAM34]

Hopefully O’Reilly can return sooner than later. That way it allows Tavares to slide onto the left wing and get a little more comfortable there heading into the playoffs.

 

[francis246]

The 3 assists Captain JT had last night were top notch… basically, all 3 goals do not happen without JT’s excellent play.

I’ve been really impressed with his board play on the walls and down low this year. He’s making things happen