It’s likely a supply thing, not a money thing. It doesn’t matter how rich you are if you can’t buy the stick you need.
Tavares on his own just doesn’t seem like a guy who would forget to order sticks. Much less the MLSE equipment teams.
John Tavares has taken that next step.
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It’s likely a supply thing, not a money thing. It doesn’t matter how rich you are if you can’t buy the stick you need.
Tavares on his own just doesn’t seem like a guy who would forget to order sticks. Much less the MLSE equipment teams.
Le Cobra
Rent A Goalie
What a stupid post. Early on the season nylander was driving play and jt holding him down constantly missing easy tap ins and chances. And even know william is playing fantastic. I swear what is it that you watch when the leafs are playing because it certainly can't be the game. And if it is holy hell are you a poor evaluator of the game.
Mess
Global Moderator
Taking the "next step" to me means playoff impact, as regular season stats only impact a teams playoff positioning.
Those stats get reset back to 0-0-0 pts once the REAL event that means everything begins.
Hopefully JT has a impactful playoffs for the Leafs and it leads to advancement deep into them for the Leafs, because as the teams captain team success weighs on "next step" evaluation also.
Those stats get reset back to 0-0-0 pts once the REAL event that means everything begins.
Hopefully JT has a impactful playoffs for the Leafs and it leads to advancement deep into them for the Leafs, because as the teams captain team success weighs on "next step" evaluation also.
Kristen Shilton: John Tavares embraces change to push Toronto Maple Leafs forward - TSN.ca
TORONTO — John Tavares might need a word with William Nylander.
The Maple Leafs’ captain has been on a tear recently, racking up 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in his last 14 games. Nylander’s been his linemate for most of the year, and theorized last week that Tavares’ surge could be attributed to the new sticks he’d been trying out.
That public reveal didn’t go without notice from Tavares.
“I guess Willy's been letting out some of my secrets,” Tavares joked with reporters on a post-practice Zoom call Sunday. “I’ve used the same curve [on my stick] since minor hockey, so I just felt it was time to play around with some things, try something out and something new. I’ve just been getting more and more comfortable with it. And then I got my [other stick] specs in with the curve, so I got it the way you like your stick to feel.”
This has been a season of change for Tavares, in more ways than just equipment. While he’s now one of the Leafs’ most consistently productive forwards, Tavares first had to embrace the new role being asked of him.
Back in the summer, coach Sheldon Keefe approached Tavares with a specific issue. Toronto had just been eliminated by Columbus in five games from the qualifying round of the NHL’s postseason tournament, and it was clear the club was at a crossroads. Their defensive effort had to improve in the coming season, and Keefe expected Tavares to lead the way.
Toronto’s captain took the message to heart, and cultivated a defence-first mentality. Initially that switch impacted his offensive output, and much was made early in the season of Tavares’ two even-strength goals in his first 25 games.
It was a sacrifice Tavares was willing to make.
“Last year we were very up and down and weren't good enough away from the puck to have the type of success that we wanted to have,” Tavares said. “And I think [Keefe] really challenged me, as the captain and a key member of the group, to really set the right example from that aspect. It's always challenging [when you don’t score], but you really just try to not focus on the results, even though sometimes you'd like to see it pay off more often or sooner. It’s just continuing to stick with that.”
As Tavares’ defensive game grew, the Leafs’ other stars - namely Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner - were rising into the stratosphere.
TORONTO — John Tavares might need a word with William Nylander.
The Maple Leafs’ captain has been on a tear recently, racking up 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in his last 14 games. Nylander’s been his linemate for most of the year, and theorized last week that Tavares’ surge could be attributed to the new sticks he’d been trying out.
That public reveal didn’t go without notice from Tavares.
“I guess Willy's been letting out some of my secrets,” Tavares joked with reporters on a post-practice Zoom call Sunday. “I’ve used the same curve [on my stick] since minor hockey, so I just felt it was time to play around with some things, try something out and something new. I’ve just been getting more and more comfortable with it. And then I got my [other stick] specs in with the curve, so I got it the way you like your stick to feel.”
This has been a season of change for Tavares, in more ways than just equipment. While he’s now one of the Leafs’ most consistently productive forwards, Tavares first had to embrace the new role being asked of him.
Back in the summer, coach Sheldon Keefe approached Tavares with a specific issue. Toronto had just been eliminated by Columbus in five games from the qualifying round of the NHL’s postseason tournament, and it was clear the club was at a crossroads. Their defensive effort had to improve in the coming season, and Keefe expected Tavares to lead the way.
Toronto’s captain took the message to heart, and cultivated a defence-first mentality. Initially that switch impacted his offensive output, and much was made early in the season of Tavares’ two even-strength goals in his first 25 games.
It was a sacrifice Tavares was willing to make.
“Last year we were very up and down and weren't good enough away from the puck to have the type of success that we wanted to have,” Tavares said. “And I think [Keefe] really challenged me, as the captain and a key member of the group, to really set the right example from that aspect. It's always challenging [when you don’t score], but you really just try to not focus on the results, even though sometimes you'd like to see it pay off more often or sooner. It’s just continuing to stick with that.”
As Tavares’ defensive game grew, the Leafs’ other stars - namely Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner - were rising into the stratosphere.
zeke
The Dube Abides
- Mar 14, 2005
- 66,937
- 36,957
Having Tavares as 2C is like having Sundin as 2C.
pretty dang good.
pretty dang good.
Oddly enough since I stopped paying attention JT is on on absolute fire . Stay hungry champ! I was so excited when we signed JT , that new curve finally coming thru 
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
- 83,127
- 62,054
It certainly helps to start the playoffs on a higher trajectory and everyone feeling great about his game than earlier in the season. It's a good sign when he himself admitted he was off with his skating and whatever but that has been resolved. You don't want those struggles to be indicators of decline.
Mess
Global Moderator
Agreed, that post of mine wasn't intended to a criticism of Tavares nor his current level of play.
JT has been really good of late and among Leafs most productive players coming down the stretch.
Its nice that both JT and Matthews are going as we near the playoffs because if our 2 X #1C are rolling that will boast well come playoff time with our strength down the middle driving success hopefully.
Only to me when I read "next step" I often think playoff impact as opposed to regular season.
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
- 83,127
- 62,054
Yeah. I think the Leafs and the core players are entering that contending window where the bar is really high. Regular season success is only a stepping stone and tune up for the real playoff test ahead - but at the same time, regular season underachieving is not acceptable.
I would compare this level of expectation to the 1996 and 1997 Detroit Red Wings. They won a record 62 games in 1996 and came close to beating Montreal's all time regular season points total with 131, but fell short to the Avalanche who won the cup.
The next year, they fell back to earth at 94 points, which was heavily criticized even though no one cared about their regular season play, but was made up for with their ability to take the next step to become champions.
On the surface these expectations feel unreasonable but it says a lot about the capabilities of the team and where they are headed.
Mess
Global Moderator
Tampa Bay has that similar story just the past 2 seasons .. They complete 2018-19 with whopping 129 regular season points and then got swept in round #1 by Columbus.. Kucherov also put up 128 points and won the Art Ross, Hart and Ted Lindsay trophies but recorded 2 assists in 3 games and a suspension during that 1st round loss.
Next season they loaded up on some real playoff style warriors and won the 2020 Stanley Cup. Kucherov recorded 25 games 7 goals 27 assists 34 points as TB hoisted the Cup.
In terms on "next step" for both team and player Kucherov I think 2019-20 season makes that point despite all the lofty team and player totals in 2018-19 that resulted in an early bow out.
So I'm watch the Leafs playoff performance and individuals like JT when evaluating "next step" as playoff success >>> regular season success and playoff points >> regular season points.
MattySnipes
Registered User
Personally, I'd actually go about it differently. I don't see Galchenyuk as a great option in the bottom 6. I think he adds plenty of value to the team, but in a scoring role. I also think Hyman truly belongs in the top 6, as much as I love him driving the 3rd line and making Toronto hard to matchup against. I think my preference would be to move Foligno down to 3rd line, upon his return, in a defensive role, where he can a little bit of an offensive punch to that line as well.
Give me these lines when everyone is healthy.
Hyman-Matthews-Marner
Galchenyuk-Tavares-Nylander
Foligno-Kerfoot-Simmonds
Thornton-Spezza-Mikheyev
Nash
Brooks
Engvall
I think that gives you the best overall roster balance, with players playing positions they are best suited for. I think Foligno and Simmonds on a line, with Kerfoot as a relentless little pest in the middle, could be ultra annoying to play against. If you really want to make it a pain in the ass shutdown line, insert Nash and move Kerfoot down to the 4th line.
Voodoo Child
Registered User
- Jun 16, 2009
- 6,684
- 3,009
He was alright for the first 6-8 games of the season then he had a pretty bad stretch where he wasn't as good as he could be and he probably knew it.
JT has been a beast for about the past 20 games, and he and his line have been responsible in their zone.
18-30-48 in 53 - could be higher, but I'm not unhappy with it.
Auston and Mitch pull it off but that look doesn't scream JT to me.
JT has been a beast for about the past 20 games, and he and his line have been responsible in their zone.
18-30-48 in 53 - could be higher, but I'm not unhappy with it.
Auston and Mitch pull it off but that look doesn't scream JT to me.
MattySnipes
Registered User
Khakis and a hoodie? That totally screams JT. Hahah.
Anyway, it seems like just a fun team thing they all did.
