John Tavares Discussion

[Clark4Ever]

I'm all in on the covid lingering effects theory. He was so good before the games got postponed. Hard to believe this current level of play is due to some big decline because of that. The break provided a big rest period for him, which should've alleviated those concerns.

Yeah, I've been thinking the same thing. Hopefully, it will get better for him over time, as has been the case for other professional athletes that had lingering effects from Covid.

 

[klmdg]

Yeah, I've been thinking the same thing. Hopefully, it will get better for him over time, as has been the case for other professional athletes that had lingering effects from Covid.

He's looked stuck in mud a few times during the past few seasons

Only difference this time is that he looks mentally behind as well, maybe the brain fog people talk about

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

Strong feeling this thread will play out pretty similar to the Marner thread by the end of the year. Players go through rough patches. This is JT’s turn, sucks but it is what it is.

Agreed, I don't really see the concern others do. Goaltending is a major concern. This, not so much.

 

[Stephen]

He's looked stuck in mud a few times during the past few seasons

Only difference this time is that he looks mentally behind as well, maybe the brain fog people talk about

He had the same type of funk at various points last season before the hot streak down the stretch. There were stretches of games where he was invisible, behind the play without the puck, swarmed with the puck. Remember sarcastically thinking whether JT97 or JT91 was the 41 year old on a league minimum deal. He’ll bounce back no doubt. But this is hardly acceptable while he’s in the funk.

 

[Holls Blackmail]

A Lebda-esque 0 in a 10-7 game with 0 pts.

Yikes.

 

[Maria Sharapova]

Did anyone watch Tavares before this year who is says he lost a step skating? It has always been the biggest knock on Tavares. Whole 2nd line is struggling as a unit while the first line has left earth which makes it look even worse. The issue we face right now is Tavares needs Marner for a spark but you can’t break up the first line with how they have been playing. I still feel the pairs of Nylander Matthews and Tavares Marner mesh better. Tavares and Nylander Chemistry seems pretty non existent they still have hot periods but it’s based on skill not chemistry. Marner and Matthews are the line drivers and right now both drivers in one car driving at light speed while the other car is flint-stones running along.

 

[NewEraGM]

Can’t imagine what JT will look like in another 1-2 years. He’s going to be a 60-65 point guy for 11M for the last 2 years of his deal yiiiiikes

 

[NewEraGM]

Leafs have major issues to deal with
1) goalies and defense are needs 1-2 and 3.
They need to figure out if their goalies can pick it up and they also need minimum 1 top 4 Dman but ideally 2.
3) yes they can use some depth up from for JT line but I don’t think they can spend the assets there given their previous needs

 

[DitchMarner]

Outside of Nylander’s one goal, did the second line do anything? Nylanders elite shot bails him out. He scores his goal and then is invisible the rest of the night too

It wasn't the line's best game, but I did see Nylander make at least two or three good passes to set players up for scoring chances. I remember he set up JT late in the game and he failed to score. Don't really remember any good plays by John TBH.

 

[Buzzman17]

He will give up captaincy to Matthews in the summer

 

[Nylander88]

He will give up captaincy to Matthews in the summer

I hope so. Hope it's an easy transition and a decision that he is a part of. Like the guy, and he's undoubtedly a good professional....but it's time to hand the reigns over.

 

[hotpaws]

He will give up captaincy to Matthews in the summer

It’d be nice but I doubt he’d do it willingly, his ego still makes him believe he’s an elite player .

 

[666]

A Lebda-esque 0 in a 10-7 game with 0 pts.

Yikes.

In the Lebda game the Leafs had 5 PP goals so he was basically -3 in a 4-3 game so not as bad as it looks.

For JT, the Marner line got 6 goals which isn't his fault, so he was +/-0 with a penalty in a 4-7 game which isn't that bad either.

 

[Nylander88]

Sad fact is we would be better set up to compete in the post-season right now, if we still had Kadri @ 4.5m centering the 2nd line...with an extra 6.5m to spend on the backend.

 

[hotpaws]

It’s great to be Johnny !!!

every time he slumps fans bend over backwards to invent fairy tales for his crap play

and then theirs poor Jack who’s getting roasted by almost everybody including his coach

 

[Zybalto]

Tavares pre-covid:
GP: 29
Goals: 13
Points: 32

Tavares since then:
GP: 22
Goals: 4
Points: 16

Give him some time folks.

 

[hotpaws]

Tavares pre-covid:
GP: 29
Goals: 13
Points: 32

Tavares since then:
GP: 22
Goals: 4
Points: 16

Give him some time folks.

Now do Jack pre and post covid since he’s also probably dealing with the exact same health issues as Johnny .

 

[capfit9]

Tavares or Kadri & Pietrangelo

 

[Sypher04]

Sad fact is we would be better set up to compete in the post-season right now, if we still had Kadri @ 4.5m centering the 2nd line...with an extra 6.5m to spend on the backend.

meh, at least Tavares will actually play for us in the playoffs, last year notwithstanding which was a fluke injury. Kadri chooses to be an idiot in the playoffs and hurts his team

 

[Zybalto]

Now do Jack pre and post covid since he’s also probably dealing with the exact same health issues as Johnny .

Agree.

I've been more critical than most about him the last couple of years but he's certainly our best option in net heading into the playoffs.

 

[Stephen]

Post Covid or not, I think part of the struggles Tavares is having is the incompatibility of his style of play with William Nylander and Alex Kerfoot. Those two can wheel and are both great shifty puckhandlers who thrive in open ice. Tavares seems to want to get into an area in the offensive zone or work the boards, slow down the flow and generate some offensive looks via the cycle. The linemates he thrived with on the Island tended to be garbage goal scorers, power forwards, etc. He had great success his first year paired with Marner, but Marner can facilitate those little area plays and touches with the puck. Nylander wants to wheel and he's happy being the trigger man.

I almost want to see Tavares with Kase and Kampf.

 

[Nylanderthal]

Never to soon for that thread

I hope you folks don’t hold your breaths on this. There’s literally 0 reason or indication that this season is some sort of make or break for anyone but the guys on the ice. The Management and coaching staff have done really good work putting pieces together and to giving them every opportunity to succeed while also leaving good pieces in the cupboard. (We do own all our top picks going forward, nobody cares about 4-6th rounders missing for one year)
If they flame out again I expect a massive core shake up but not a decimation of the front office.

 

[Nylanderthal]

Post Covid or not, I think part of the struggles Tavares is having is the incompatibility of his style of play with William Nylander and Alex Kerfoot. Those two can wheel and are both great shifty puckhandlers who thrive in open ice. Tavares seems to want to get into an area in the offensive zone or work the boards, slow down the flow and generate some offensive looks via the cycle. The linemates he thrived with on the Island tended to be garbage goal scorers, power forwards, etc. He had great success his first year paired with Marner, but Marner can facilitate those little area plays and touches with the puck. Nylander wants to wheel and he's happy being the trigger man.

I almost want to see Tavares with Kase and Kampf.

I agree with this, time to split up Willy and JT. Give JT two hard workers like mik/Roberson and Kase and let Willy & kerf work their magic with Kampf holding down the defensive responsibilities, or slide kampf to 4c with Simmonds and Spezza spot duty rotating Engvall Kase mik on his line when you need a D zone face off win & clear.

 

[Nylanderthal]

It’d be nice but I doubt he’d do it willingly, his ego still makes him believe he’s an elite player .

What ego? First I’ve ever heard of Tavares being anything but humble and reserved.

 

[Nylanderthal]

It’s great to be Johnny !!!

every time he slumps fans bend over backwards to invent fairy tales for his crap play

and then theirs poor Jack who’s getting roasted by almost everybody including his coach

Well during JT’s slump he’s still producing at a 60 point clip while winning ~60% of his draws. Soup is a .880ish goalie since the Covid break which isn’t even echl level. Big difference.