Tavares
- Thread starter BrannigansLaw
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1) We all always knew that he would regress
2) He doesn’t play a flashy game so when his line has a “bad game” it looks worse because his good games aren’t memorable.
2) He doesn’t play a flashy game so when his line has a “bad game” it looks worse because his good games aren’t memorable.
SeaOfBlue
The Passion That Unites Us All
- Aug 1, 2013
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He's actually a lot better than people think?
The guy is not a dazzler. Unlike some other top end players, he does not need to be on the highlight reel to have a good game.
Do people even realize that he won 88% of his draws yesterday? That he made a number of strong defensive plays and did a great job at keeping the Blue Jackets on the outside whenever he was on the ice? That he was fighting really hard for pucks all night and actually did a solid job winning puck battles and getting the puck to Marner and Mikheyev, while also opening himself up for numerous scoring opportunities.
The problem is that the casual hockey fan, which is like 95% of people, do not register anything outside of the high event plays... A fancy stick move, a goal, a high end scoring chance, a big hit, a terrible defensive mistake, a big save, a soft goal, etc. The rest of the game might as well be a blur for them, but the rest of the game is when Tavares does some of his best work.
Sure I would like to have a few more positive high event plays out of him. I would love for him to score a couple of goals, and eventually he is going to need to contribute tangible offensive numbers, but one thing people kept whining about with this team is that we are not playing playoff hockey and that our players do not play the way that wins games... Yet Tavares did pretty much everything you need to win a playoff game outside of putting up tangible offensive numbers and these same people are complaining. I guess they want him to run a bunch of people through the boards too.
I thought he was OK. He needs Nylander and Hyman. They play more complimentary.
Dreakmur
Registered User
Exactly. Tavares is a meat and potatoes kind of player. He isn't flashy, but he does all the little things right.
Watch how easily the Leafs break out of their zone when he's on the ice. He's always there to support down low and he's always there for the easy support pass.
Nylander88
Registered User
Tavaras is the least of the problems. He does a lot of the little things correctly. He works at both ends of the ice which is a lot more that can be said for many Leaf players.
Alexanderthe89
Registered User
- Apr 29, 2011
- 1,043
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I'm getting tired of watching him try to dangle his way across the blueline. You gotta be skating faster than the defenseman is moving backwards for that work, Captain.
MapleLeafs9
Registered User
- Sep 22, 2011
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If he doesn’t start stepping it up offensively, the cute narrative of the star Toronto boy that came home will wear off. 11 million a year for his current level of play is not good enough.
He also had the rep of being a big playoff performer with the Islanders as well. Have seen absolutely none of that so far with the series against the Bruins and Game 1 last night
He also had the rep of being a big playoff performer with the Islanders as well. Have seen absolutely none of that so far with the series against the Bruins and Game 1 last night
Merrrlin
Grab the 9 iron, Barry!
- Jul 2, 2019
- 6,768
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Tavares was the least of our problems last game. Didn't he end the game 1st in xGF%? You can attribute some of that to not facing Jones often but I thought he and Mik had a pretty strong game. Marner was very rough on both ends.
Tavares seems to rarely have "bad" games. That's my main issue with Marner right now - you either get great Mitch or you get negative impact Mitch. His highs are higher than anyone except Auston, but his lows are abysmal.
Tavares seems to rarely have "bad" games. That's my main issue with Marner right now - you either get great Mitch or you get negative impact Mitch. His highs are higher than anyone except Auston, but his lows are abysmal.
Cobra777
Registered User
Tavares is not the best skater he relies on getting the puck in the slot for his nice wrist shot or tip ins and banging in rebounds. Marner his set up man from last yr. is struggling big time as well and its hurting JT and that line and makes them look ineffective. Everyone is mad at Marner because of the way he held out and his money expectations because if it wasn't for that all players go through slumps and difficulties and he probably wouldn't be frowned upon as much. Problem is most of all Dubas has no money left to improve our D due to his contracts and only having 1 solid d man in Reilly is absolutely going to get you no where if your core only consists of that. Muzz has a good shot but is just too slow and seems always a step behind.
I agree that he does the little things but you don’t pay someone 11 mil a year to do the little things. We need him to drive his line like a top 5 paid player should and be a captain.
I also think the argument that because he’s not flashy people think he sucks is pretty poor. I’m not dumb. I know flashy plays are not his mo. I loved his game last season and thought that would be the same Tavares this year but he and Marner fell off big time this year. They at best now look mediocre to just plain bad. Difference being people are already slagging Marner big time but for Tavares gets a pass for just being in position in his zone for support...
Tavares gets a pass for effort and being sound defensively while Marner is high risk without those.
When JT is off offensively he's a solid defensive player who is going to make you work to beat him. When Marner is off he's a liability.
Pretty low bar to set for a guy making so much
The bar for him is a first line C. That's the differences when they're off, which everyone will have.
He hasn’t looked anywhere near as good as last year at any point this year. He’s putting up his numbers, but he’s literally almost a pylon now that you shoot at and hope to get a deflection
BertCorbeau
F*ck cancer - RIP Fugu and Buffaloed
Tough to have your game at top notch with only practice and 1 exhibition game.
I have my concerns but 1 game doesn't mean a lot to me in the big picture. We'll see if this trend continues
I have my concerns but 1 game doesn't mean a lot to me in the big picture. We'll see if this trend continues
SeaOfBlue
The Passion That Unites Us All
- Aug 1, 2013
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My point exactly, and that is why people are harder on Marner than on Tavares.
Tavares when he is "off" is still better than the vast majority of players in the NHL when they are playing "well", and when Tavares is playing "well", he is one of the best players in the league.
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
- 81,909
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Tavares’ blueprint for success is a basically a high end grinder, but a poor man’s Crosby. Good grind, cycle down low game with a scoring touch in the slot and garbage goals in front. But when he’s off he’s virtually useless in open ice. And Marner is not matching up well with him.
DitchMarner
TheGlitchintheSwitch
Yes, he's basically at his best when he plays a grinding type game and keeps it simple.
However, the problems are:
1. You really shouldn't be paying a player like that more than $10 mil per season. For that type of money you need a centre who's able to carry the puck and drive the play (like a MacKinnon, Eichel or McDavid).
2. He seems to think (at least at times) that he still IS the type of centre that can carry the puck and drive the play even though he doesn't have the speed for that type of game anymore. There are times he'll plod along and try to dipsy-doodle by an opponent and it never works. He has hands, but his lack of speed prevents him from being a threat with the puck in open ice. He needs to realize his limitations and just try to save his hands for down low.
Dreakmur
Registered User
Tavares is a team guy. He works with the rest of the group, and they have to work with him. When other members of the group go rogue, it breaks down.
Last night, how many times did you see Tavares drop down low to support only to watch his line mate turn the puck over rather than bump it low and start the cycle? I lost count....
dubplatepressure
Registered User
- Jul 10, 2007
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Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
For a down season he was still nearly a ppg, and did so while he had an injury + a new born at home this year.
Imo I wouldnt worry too much about declines just yet
Imo I wouldnt worry too much about declines just yet
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