Confirmed with Link: Tavares to Toronto (7 years, $11M AAV)

[saltming]

Does John Tavares kill penalties?

He did last year with the nyi

 

[Superstar]

Can someone tell me what JTs injury history like?
Is he durable?

Other than the 2014 Olympic year where he missed significant time (around 20 games) after getting injured in the Olympics, he's been extremely durable during his 9 years in the NHL so far.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Tavares Takes Stand on Departure

Whether the ex-Islanders captain won the draw — or lost it, as the case may be — depends on where your rooting interest lies. John took the third-degree well, even got choked up a couple of times.

The Maven wasted no time firing away and I wanted to know, straight-out, why it took Tavares so long to pick the Leafs; why he didn’t decide before the trade deadline so that the Isles could have obtained a player or three in return.

“At that time,” he replied, “I had no feelings for playing for another team. I was invested in playing for the Islanders. I wanted to keep my focus on the ice."

“When (then general manager) Garth Snow said he wouldn’t trade me, I respected that and I didn’t ask to be traded.”

I pointed out that his actions — or non actions — hurt his former team but, in response, he preferred focusing on his feelings.

“I go with my gut,” he insisted; emphasizing how challenging his decision-making was during the off-season calling it “emotional” and “heavy.”

Still, the prospect of playing for his hometown Leafs was more tantalizing than returning to the team which had done everything possible to retain him.

“My decision was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” he argued, “because of what the Islanders have meant to me. But this is a unique time in my career.”

 

[Magic Man]

Johnsson - kadri - kapanen

The ninja line - other teams to overfocus in lines 1 & 2 but the njnja line will slice and dice when least expected

We just signed Tavares and I might be more excited about the fact that it created this line. All the lines up front makes it a matchup nightmare.

 

[Liminality]

Just got back from camping this weekend. This is a dream come true, so happy he ended up picking Toronto!

 

[Gabriel426]

The start of many more superstars coming home to Toronto.

Still can't believe he ended up with us. Was drinking with my friends last night(Nucks fans), they kept saying you knew it would happen but knowing and wishing and actually happened are different thing.

Can't wait till Matthews, Marner, Willie and Kap resign.

One last thing, I think us fans worry about the Cap more than the MGT.

 

[Its not your fault]

The start of many more superstars coming home to Toronto.

Still can't believe he ended up with us. Was drinking with my friends last night(Nucks fans), they kept saying you knew it would happen but knowing and wishing and actually happened are different thing.

Can't wait till Matthews, Marner, Willie and Kap resign.

One last thing, I think us fans worry about the Cap more than the MGT.[/QUOTE
There always is a way to manage your way out of cap problems

 

[DopeyFish]

We just signed Tavares and I might be more excited about the fact that it created this line. All the lines up front makes it a matchup nightmare.

until day 1 comes and instead of kapanen you have brown

 

[Mitchy]

Updated:

Spoiler: different image of tavares

 

[Aho and the Bunnaman]

Have there been any recent examples of vets joining strong teams (ala GSW/Heat/Spurs in the NBA) at super-low/league minimum salaries just for a shot at the cup? I absolutely hated that trend in the NBA, but now that we're starting to look like that because of the JT signing, I can get used to the idea

 

[Its not your fault]

I agree just pointing out that theres a real possibility if we didnt land JT and lost JVR/Bozak our offense "could" have taken a dip next season.

Seems like this was thought out well by our management as well.

 

[Garbs]

Gord Miller is on TSN 1050 rambling about goals against average, and how only Pittsburgh has won a Cup in the last 15 years without appearing in the top 10 of the league. A quick look:


2017-2018

Tampa Bay (13th) vs Washington (16th)

Winnipeg (5th) vs. Las Vegas (8th)

Toronto ranked: 12th


2016-2017

Ottawa (10th) vs Pittsburgh (17th)

Anaheim (3rd) vs Nashville (15th)

Toronto ranked: 22nd


Yeah, seems really important. Gord Miller really up on his league trends. Remember when you couldn't win without a big time goaltender?

 

[BertCorbeau]

Now that the excitement has absorbed it will be interesting to see how Tavares ages over his 7 years and how the value of that contract goes over that time. It's amazing that the Leafs have him locked up for a bulk of his prime but only a few of his potential declining years.

Without a doubt, and with the supporting cast around him, he should produce at an elite level for a of those few years (PPG +) ... He's had 3 of these seasons already, but not consecutively. Probably 2-3 70-point seasons are also likely.

Years 5-7 are where we may see a dip. Hopefully still in the 65 point range.

Provided he's in good health his skating should hold up for a similar time period. Obviously the risk if he does lose a step or two in the latter parts of the contract, he will be less effective.

But this is the nature of the beast when it comes to UFA and it's well-worth it in this case to bring in a player of his calibre. The remainder of the risk is within the cap management - the Leafs have less wiggle room for bad contracts now going forward.

 

[Jmo89]

Gord Miller is on TSN 1050 rambling about goals against average, and how only Pittsburgh has won a Cup in the last 15 years without appearing in the top 10 of the league. A quick look:


2017-2018

Tampa Bay (13th) vs Washington (16th)

Winnipeg (5th) vs. Las Vegas (8th)

Toronto ranked: 12th


2016-2017

Ottawa (10th) vs Pittsburgh (17th)

Anaheim (3rd) vs Nashville (15th)

Toronto ranked: 22nd


Yeah, seems really important. Gord Miller really up on his league trends. Remember when you couldn't win without a big time goaltender?

I like Miller as a commentator, but he's been pretty exposed the past few weeks in terms of his overall hockey knowledge.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

has anyone stopped being extremely excited about this? me neither

 

[IBeL34f]

Tavares Takes Stand on Departure

Is that the same doucher that asked Tavares what he'd like to say to the fans, even though he'd already posted a public address to the fans on all of his social media stuff? What a dick move that was.

"Still, the prospect of playing for his hometown Leafs was more tantalizing than returning to the team which had done everything possible to retain him."

Except build a contender around him during the 9 prime years of service he provided them, bring in a legitimate #1 goaltender, solidify a home base for the foreseeable future, or sell him on their new course for the future, despite Lou and Trotz coming in, and having a half-decent pool of prospects in the system...

 

[Faltorvo]

The rebuild is completely over. Real is now.

naw not yet BUT almost

just need 2 of those draft D to hit better then their draft slots and it's effen GAME OVER

a gordev/rass/little grin/sandin

one of those rightys almost a top pair and another a #4 and it's OVER.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Is that the same *****er that asked Tavares what he'd like to say to the fans, even though he'd already posted a public address to the fans on all of his social media stuff? What a dick move that was.

"Still, the prospect of playing for his hometown Leafs was more tantalizing than returning to the team which had done everything possible to retain him."

Except build a contender around him during the 9 prime years of service he provided them, bring in a legitimate #1 goaltender, solidify a home base for the foreseeable future, or sell him on their new course for the future, despite Lou and Trotz coming in, and having a half-decent pool of prospects in the system...

they don't even. have. an arena.
i don't know how it is fair that you are asking someone like Tavares to play somewhere in the key part of his career, after giving them nine years of cheap cap space, and go. "okay but can you handle doing this for 3-4 more years until the Belmont Arena is built?"

holy moses.
honestly. I get it okay. I get being the spurned fanbase (Hello. all the time). I get losing your franchise centre. (been there, done that) and not getting anything for it (preachin' to the choir). but Tavares did nothing wrong. even if he didn't pick us he did nothing wrong (he'd just be dead to me coz he chose not the Leafs). the media needs to back off him and so does the fan base. (and yes. lurkers, I said the same thing re: Sundin).

 

[Daisy Jane]

has anyone stopped being extremely excited about this? me neither

nope!

 

[Trapper]

they don't even. have. an arena.
i don't know how it is fair that you are asking someone like Tavares to play somewhere in the key part of his career, after giving them nine years of cheap cap space, and go. "okay but can you handle doing this for 3-4 more years until the Belmont Arena is built?"

holy moses.
honestly. I get it okay. I get being the spurned fanbase (Hello. all the time). I get losing your franchise centre. (been there, done that) and not getting anything for it (preachin' to the choir). but Tavares did nothing wrong. even if he didn't pick us he did nothing wrong (he'd just be dead to me coz he chose not the Leafs). the media needs to back off him and so does the fan base. (and yes. lurkers, I said the same thing re: Sundin).

Not even sure why people are upset at the Leafs for signing Tavares.
Like what would your team say, no thanks JT, we might hurt (insert fanbase) feelings.
Any organization would sign a high profile UFA (and its UFA not RFA) given the chance.

 

[BallardEra]

Hi BallardEra Shanny like has dad who passed from Parkinson's is the world's #1 pass praise to everyone else i did nothing kinda guy. Trust me when i say he was the key. i know this.

Love ya man! Gramps4Life

 

[IBeL34f]

they don't even. have. an arena.
i don't know how it is fair that you are asking someone like Tavares to play somewhere in the key part of his career, after giving them nine years of cheap cap space, and go. "okay but can you handle doing this for 3-4 more years until the Belmont Arena is built?"

holy moses.
honestly. I get it okay. I get being the spurned fanbase (Hello. all the time). I get losing your franchise centre. (been there, done that) and not getting anything for it (preachin' to the choir). but Tavares did nothing wrong. even if he didn't pick us he did nothing wrong (he'd just be dead to me coz he chose not the Leafs). the media needs to back off him and so does the fan base. (and yes. lurkers, I said the same thing re: Sundin).

And then people talk about us having issues retaining Matthews when he's a UFA, despite the fact that we'll have given him ~11 straight years of solid management and organizational growth, to go along with the best possible chances to succeed by surrounding him with an elite supporting cast, and providing him with every resource imaginable to become the best player he can be.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Not even sure why people are upset at the Leafs for signing Tavares.
Like what would your team say, no thanks JT, we might hurt (insert fanbase) feelings.
Any organization would sign a high profile UFA (and its UFA not RFA) given the chance.

i'm listening to the conference call.
they made Tavares cry. grrrrrrr.

 

[Socreges]

Hi BallardEra Shanny like has dad who passed from Parkinson's is the world's #1 pass praise to everyone else i did nothing kinda guy. Trust me when i say he was the key. i know this.

Don't sell yourself short Gramps you did alot too!

Funny you mentioned all the drinking you did yesterday, my father was quite happy and was celebrating a tad too much. Mother wasn't impressed and father ended up sleeping on the basement couch. While he was passed out I got to try the Cavicchi pipe for the first time! Was a bit weird I decided it's not for me

 

[Daisy Jane]

And then people talk about us having issues retaining Matthews when he's a UFA, despite the fact that we'll have given him ~11 straight years of solid management and organizational growth, to go along with the best possible chances to succeed by surrounding him with an elite supporting cast, and providing him with every resource imaginable to become the best player he can be.

i've flat out said (i've had this argument with some people). it would not surprise me if Matthews won't have in the pit of his stomach the desire to play at home. He's human. If I expect this desire to be in anyone who lived in the GTA, i'd be stupidly naive not to think Matthews wouldn't have the same thing.

and if we sucked. for a good chunk of time and Arizona A - exists and B - is better than we are, i wouldn't be shocked if he went there. However. I do expect management to trade his butt. and get a haul. People can get mad at Tavares for waiting until 1:00pm yesterday and how it 'screwed' the islanders, but let's call a spade some spades here, y'all.

I do not think the Leafs will suck for another X amount of years that we have Matthews rights. And if he wants to go - he can go, and I'll fundamentally believe in his decision (and then he'll be dead to me )

With John:

1: Management didn't want to trade him.
2: Snow didn't trade him.
3: Snow (or whomever) gave Tavares the No/No.
4: Lou didn't want to do the sign and trade (his rules)
5: From what i heard this was just 'cone of silence-y" from everyone. (as Dubas + Lou both knew Saturday, which means, everyone else had to have been told anyway. I doubt Wilson found out on TSN.

Honestly for the amount of crap that Toronto + Toronto media about being hard, people need to take a hard loo in the mirror in regards to some other fans/media. (See, Sabres, Buffalo re: Babcock, Islanders, New York, regarding Tavares).