John Tavares would be ___ line C on your team?

[Zenos]

Kind of hard to see many franchises putting him on the wing with his 59% FOW so far this season but with Drai and Mcdavid both being over 54% it doesnt seem unrealistic.

I guess that's also partly because I don't consider face-offs the exclusive purview of the centre position either. The Oilers regularly use wingers to take draws - Draisaitl (while playing wing with Connor) and Hyman are two examples.

 

[JSn0w93]

1C on the Sabres today, but I wouldn't take that contract if he was offered for free.

Yeah would be detrimental to your draft lottery odds. I'm not even saying this to roast you it's the truth. Where are the Sabres going for the duration of what's left on his contract?

 

[Team Cozens]

Yeah would be detrimental to your draft lottery odds. I'm not even saying this to roast you it's the truth. Where are the Sabres going for the duration of what's left on his contract?

Ahead of the Leafs! Especially if they still have that anchor contact. We already have the Skinner contract to contend with and GM Adams already said he wants to weaponize cap space.

 

[The90]

Ahead of the Leafs! Especially if they still have that anchor contact. We already have the Skinner contract to contend with and GM Adams already said he wants to weaponize cap space.

Well, you’re optimistic anyways.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Anybody saying 3rd line C is out to lunch. He would convert to wing before that. He isn’t useful in a 3rd line checking type role, and is clearly too good for 4th line.

 

[Dache]

Anybody saying 3rd line C is out to lunch. He would convert to wing before that. He isn’t useful in a 3rd line checking type role, and is clearly too good for 4th line.

Wing isn’t an option though. I do agree however.

 

[Thenameless]

Montreal

Easily first line. Would have loved to acquire him when the Leafs got him.

A core of Tavares, Weber, and Price is pretty nice for attracting other free agents at the deadline and making a Cup run.

Oh well, one can dream.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Him and Backstrom would be 2A/2B behind Kuznetsov.

 

[Super Cake]

Vegas:
As of right now: Absolutely

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

If tavares is your third line C. You should be winning the cup every year

 

[Tweaky]

Right now, 1/2. Normally 2/3. Splitting with Kadri given the way each has started the year. But edge would go to JT. And realistically, they would share it on 2nd line, with the other playing wing opposite Burakovski.

 

[soothsayer]

Anybody saying 3rd line C is out to lunch. He would convert to wing before that. He isn’t useful in a 3rd line checking type role, and is clearly too good for 4th line.

There's no rule that a 3rd line has to be a checking line. If a team has extremely good winger depth, they could in theory create a 3rd scoring line and aim to hammer the opposition with offensive waves. This is not uncommon in international tournaments.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

There's no rule that a 3rd line has to be a checking line. If a team has extremely good winger depth, they could in theory create a 3rd scoring line and aim to hammer the opposition with offensive waves. This is not uncommon in international tournaments.

The 3rd line has to be good defensively at least. John Tavares wouldn't excel there.

 

[soothsayer]

The 3rd line has to be good defensively at least. John Tavares wouldn't excel there.

It can be as good defensively as the 1st or 2nd line. The point is it doesn't need to specialize in the defensive side of the puck if it's able to outscore the line it's matching against. Of course, ideally all of your lines are going to be good defensively; but the idea that the 3rd and 4th lines need to be defensive specialists partially stems from the reality of cap restrictions.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

It can be as good defensively as the 1st or 2nd line. The point is it doesn't need to specialize in the defensive side of the puck if it's able to outscore the line it's matching against. Of course, ideally all of your lines are going to be good defensively; but the idea that the 3rd and 4th lines need to be defensive specialists partially stems from the reality of cap restrictions.

No, it stems from the fact that usually the person centering one of those lines is good defensively and wins draws, so they can effectively kill off a penalty and be your top PK. You don't want your best centers playing 40 mins a night because they are on the PP, PK, and match up against the other teams top lines.

 

[Regal]

The 3rd line has to be good defensively at least. John Tavares wouldn't excel there.

Not really. If you have an excellent two-way line in your top 6 that already goes head to head with the opponents best, you can use an offensive 3rd line in soft matchups to maximize their skills. This is actually why I think guys like ROR, Bergeron and Couturier are so valuable, because it’s easier to find talented depth if their lines are taking the toughest competition.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Not really. If you have an excellent two-way line in your top 6 that already goes head to head with the opponents best, you can use an offensive 3rd line in soft matchups to maximize their skills. This is actually why I think guys like ROR, Bergeron and Couturier are so valuable, because it’s easier to find talented depth if their lines are taking the toughest competition.

They also can be relied on to be elite penalty killers, something that John Tavares is not. Who is killing penalties in this make believe scenario? Better hope he goes to one of the few teams that have centers that play elite PK like mentioned above.

 

[soothsayer]

No, it stems from the fact that usually the person centering one of those lines is good defensively and wins draws, so they can effectively kill off a penalty and be your top PK. You don't want your best centers playing 40 mins a night because they are on the PP, PK, and match up against the other teams top lines.

Good offensive players don't have to be bad defensively. A lot of top line wingers and centermen who aren't defensive specialists play on the PK. Tavares could be a 3rd line centerman and play the PK, for example.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Good offensive players don't have to be bad defensively. A lot of top line wingers and centermen who aren't defensive specialists play on the PK. Tavares could be a 3rd line centerman and play the PK, for example.

He could play the PK, he just isn't very effective at it. Especially as his foot speed seems to have declined even more so than from his islander days. So sure, get Tavares on the 3rd line, and tell him to play PK. Sounds like a recipe for success.

 

[Regal]

They also can be relied on to be elite penalty killers, something that John Tavares is not. Who is killing penalties in this make believe scenario? Better hope he goes to one of the few teams that have centers that play elite PK like mentioned above.

Worrying about who plays the PK based on where a player plays 5v5 is a bit nonsensical. Lots of lineups spots for PK guys. Literally all those players I mentioned are also top PK guys. This is a very strange criticism tbh

 

[soothsayer]

He could play the PK, he just isn't very effective at it. Especially as his foot speed seems to have declined even more so than from his islander days. So sure, get Tavares on the 3rd line, and tell him to play PK. Sounds like a recipe for success.

Then the 1st or 2nd line center takes on PK duties. If you only have one centerman who is good at PKs, that's sort of a different issue.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Worrying about who plays the PK based on where a player plays 5v5 is a bit nonsensical. Lots of lineups spots for PK guys. Literally all those players I mentioned are also top PK guys. This is a very strange criticism tbh

If you’re adding Tavares and he isn’t better than the 2 centers on the 1st and 2nd line, then he likely will be your 3rd center that also is offensively gifted and mediocre on the PK. Look around the league, most top 2 centers on teams aren’t gifted or expected to carry PK duties.

 

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[MacMacandBarbie]

This should be a would Tavares be your 3rd best center thread, because that is how many people are answering it. You don’t put a 70+ point center on a 3rd line. You convert somebody to wing.

 

[Dache]

The 3rd line has to be good defensively at least. John Tavares wouldn't excel there.

I’ve heard he’s excellent defensively.