John Tavares Discussion

[IPS]

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Nylander-Kerfoot-Kase
Engvall-Kampf-Mikheyev
Blackwell-Tavares-Spezza

Let JT figure his shit out on the 4th line, we need a top-9 with speed to burn Tampa's slower defensemen. JT is way too easy for those guys to nullify. We're here to win this series, not worry about hurting JT's feelings.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

What has Stamkos really done? Hes playing as good as his opposing center thats all we need.

no we need more from JT and Willy for that matter but at least Willy is noticeable, JT has done nothing so far.

He needs a breakout game

 

[Chandler55]

covid really messed up with the cap, tavares's cap is easier to swallow when its a 100-110 mil salary cap. sucks, but i trust JT to find ways to reinvent himself. He was one of the two scorers we had in that columbus series

 

[ZEBROA]

I want matt with Marner. Nylander on second line without Tavares. 3rd line intact.

So first line or forth for Tavares.
Would instant make the team better
(not first line tho, but they should manage.)

 

[GoBuds14]

I disagree with this thread. He’s still a ppg Center who will snap out of it and his presence can create matchup problems. The Leafs have a window with him as a productive C and hopefully they take advantage and go on a run this year

 

[Mr Bill Waters]

It's still early. Give him a chance.

 

[Brobust]

There are some miserable people on this place. Who also happen to be pretty stupid.

 

[robertmac43]

While being first in puck battles and a clear #2 in FO% behind a guy who’s probably the best all time in the dot.
The problem with JT is he’s not flashy like the other guys so a lot of what he does well goes unnoticed. A bit more puck luck and some better finish and he could’ve hit low mid thirties in goals and mid eighties in points.

I agree 100%!

 

[BraveCanadian]

Everyone should have known it was a mistake from the moment it was signed. GMs make these mistakes again and again throughout NHL history because it isn't their money getting wasted, I guess. The contract wrecked the entire cap structure for the team and resulted in Matthews and Marner also taking huge deals which has crippled the ability to get and keep depth on the team.

Tavares is still good, but hugely overpaid at this point, and the contract is only going to look worse and worse until we get out from under it. In the meantime it really handicaps the Leafs ability to juggle things around in the cap world.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Everyone should have known it was a mistake from the moment it was signed. GMs make these mistakes again and again throughout NHL history because it isn't their money getting wasted, I guess. The contract wrecked the entire cap structure for the team and resulted in Matthews and Marner also taking huge deals which has crippled the ability to get and keep depth on the team.

Tavares is still good, but hugely overpaid at this point, and the contract is only going to look worse and worse until we get out from under it. In the meantime it really handicaps the Leafs ability to juggle things around in the cap world.

LOL. What on earth are you on about? The Leafs are FAR from "crippled" as far as depth goes. They have lots of it and in case you hadn't noticed, they finished the season in 3rd place in the east and look great against Tampa. If they were "crippled" that wouldn't be the case at all. Their depth guys scored all the goals last night. Did you notice?

Some of our guys are very expensive, for sure. But the way the team is built, they are one of the best teams in the league.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Nothing to see here, just a small sample size. This is perfectly natural for a top 5 caphit in the NHL.

 

[francis246]

Nothing to see here, just a small sample size. This is perfectly natural for a top 5 caphit in the NHL.

View attachment 542219

At the end of the day, who cares realistically? If the team has success who cares about individual numbers.

As long as we are winning I don’t really care about production. We need to focus on the fact that we are up 2-1 on the reigning champs.

 

[BraveCanadian]

LOL. What on earth are you on about? The Leafs are FAR from "crippled" as far as depth goes. They have lots of it and in case you hadn't noticed, they finished the season in 3rd place in the east and look great against Tampa. If they were "crippled" that wouldn't be the case at all. Their depth guys scored all the goals last night. Did you notice?

Some of our guys are very expensive, for sure. But the way the team is built, they are one of the best teams in the league.

What I am on about are facts. He is super overpaid and that matters in a cap world. Yes, the Leafs are a strong team atm, but they can't hang on to the depth they develop because they can't afford to.

Hopefully Tavares can step it up somehow and the Leafs can win in this window because his contract is an anchor that is going to get heavier the next few years.

 

[roosterman]

I disagree with this thread. He’s still a ppg Center who will snap out of it and his presence can create matchup problems. The Leafs have a window with him as a productive C and hopefully they take advantage and go on a run this year

Agreed.... relax people... I think it was known when they signed him to the deal that they overpaid to get him and that the backend of the deal would not look good financially but the dude is still a PPG player plus he is great on the face-offs usually. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Shooter2x]

Outside of Freebie PP's Tavares has been more significant than Stamkos Kucherov and Point and is a direct reason we're up 2-1 in the series. For majority of his ice time Tampa has not generated much against his lines.

I agree 3rd period was one to forget for his line last night. Ouch. But the whole team pretty much got walked that period.

 

[Nylander88]

Guy needs to get engaged. Bad look when your captain just looks like he's at a Sunday morning public skate

 

[Stephen]

Outside of Freebie PP's Tavares has been more significant than Stamkos Kucherov and Point and is a direct reason we're up 2-1 in the series. For majority of his ice time Tampa has not generated much against his lines.

I agree 3rd period was one to forget for his line last night. Ouch. But the whole team pretty much got walked that period.

Tavares has been outplayed by Kerfoot, Kampf, Engvall, Mikheyev, who by committee all show hustle, excel on special teams, pop on the ice with their engagement with active sticks, willingness to engage in physical play, timely scoring. So I guess it's kind of a question of are his teammates contributing above what we expect and we're up 2-1? Or out of Tavares, Stamkos, Kucherov and Point, who is likely to turn it on for Game 4, 5, 6, 7.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

There are some miserable people on this place. Who also happen to be pretty stupid.

Lock this thread.

 

[sr edler]

Guy is just a terrible skater. Willy is a fantastic skater. That duo is a bit odd (and at times slightly dysfunctional) as the skating discrepancy between the two is so huge. Tavares just can't hang with Willy in longer rush plays, that's why you see all these stretch passes and Willy cheating on plays. I guess it could still work though, to some degree, if Tavares does his lacrosse stuff well in-close, but that's a pretty big if come playoffs.

He's great at face-offs though.

 

[Aashir]

I’m over this guy and nylander. They can’t produce…..if somehow they finish with their current totals id ship them out regardless of series win or loss

 

[Shooter2x]

Tavares has been outplayed by Kerfoot, Kampf, Engvall, Mikheyev, who by committee all show hustle, excel on special teams, pop on the ice with their engagement with active sticks, willingness to engage in physical play, timely scoring. So I guess it's kind of a question of are his teammates contributing above what we expect and we're up 2-1? Or out of Tavares, Stamkos, Kucherov and Point, who is likely to turn it on for Game 4, 5, 6, 7.

They have been playing excellent yes but that doesn't change the fact Tavares has been a wall at even strength most of the time. Them being currently more useful than JT during the first 3 games doesn't change the fact you risk getting lit up at even strength if you subtract Tavares from this series. I don't think a guy like Kerfoot survives if he has to take over JT's duties. Our depth gets to run around Tampa because we have Matthews and JT up the middle.

 

[Holymakinaw]

I’m over this guy and nylander. They can’t produce…..if somehow they finish with their current totals id ship them out regardless of series win or loss

Point has 1 goal in 3 games and is a -5. Stamkos has only 1 assist and is a -4. All of Hedman's points came in just ONE game. But there's something wrong with JT and WN.

Leaf fans are the worst.

 

[Shooter2x]

Tavares has been such a wall at even strength that without Simmonds in the lineup in game 2 we could be up 3-0 right now because Tampa was in a spot to get beat easily at even strength in game 2. A multi point game tomorrow and suddenly he's back into top 3 impact due to his defensive play prior.

He still looked really good along the boards when his line was hemmed in the 3rd last night. Kept most of it to the outside. Not sure what people are seeing about not being engaged.

Just relax and stop playing with fire trying to get this guy off the team it will have a massive domino effect that will slap you right back in the face.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

I look back not too long ago at our roster and can't help but think how spoiled are we to be whining about Pt/GP centers near the top of the league in FO and generally good defensively?

First world problems....

 

[Nylanderthal]

I need a lobotomy after watching this team fail for a quarter century time and time again, in spite of having some of the best players ever in #34 #16 #44 #13 #93... Even Phil. Don't waste money, breed talent. f*** #19 or whatever JT wears. He is a fraud. He doesn't deserve it. He's lead nothing but the Knights team to victory, which arguably was Kadri's team. I miss Naz. #43 was a true Leaf too.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Nazem Kadri and John Tavares Reunited

The Toronto Maple Leafs hope to re-claim the dynamic chemistry between Nazem Kadri and John Tavares while being line-mates in London.

www.google.com

Why do you idiots always come out in the post season?

If you thought Tavares was going to be a flashy player when he signed on, I suggest you watch more hockey. The guy isn't and never was a Matthews or Marner type. He's a grinder who puts up 80 points a year and you'll barely notice him. The grass isn't always greener. You take Tavares off this team and you create a giant hole on the 2nd line.

This. If there isn’t fancy dangles then the guys run of the mill. JT has never been that guy. People need to pay more attention