Would John Tavares have made a difference for the Islanders in these playoffs?

[koyvoo]

Down 0-3 to Carolina, this one is all but over. How much of a difference would having John Tavares potentially have made for Islanders here?

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[NextYear67]

100%. They have a glaring lack of center depth. Barzal was exposed this year.

 

[Paradoc]

No doubt about it.

 

[Lame Lambert]

No he would’ve been a healthy scratch for Tom Kuhnhackl

 

[nhlfan9191]

It’s pretty obvious what you’re trying to do here. Atleast the Islanders won a series. Two more in the same time frame then you have. You have to win something before you can start trying to bully other franchises. Win anything really. You don’t raise a banner for 3rd in the Atlantic.

 

[hockeyes]

Bad karma thread

 

[flamesforcup]

100%. They have a glaring lack of center depth. Barzal was exposed this year.

That centre depth still got them further than the 3 #1 centre Maple Leafs. Not sure why you guys are coming in this thread acting all smug u guys HAD Tavares and u still lost again in round 1 (and finished lower in the regular season) despite leading the series 3 times.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

They lost him for nothing. I am pretty sure having an "extra" top line C would be nice.

 

[Subbanned]

Absolutely. The Isles have excellent goaltending and good defensive structure due to their coaching, but their offense is pretty horrid. They are missing that truly superstar center. Barzal can certainly get there, but he's not there yet after a season without being sheltered by Tavares resulted in just 62 pts and can't even crack 20 goals. Tavares, even in that system with less talent on his wing than on his new team can put up at least 35-40 goals and PPG consistently.

The Isles ran through a Pens team that barely looked like they were trying and may end up with just one more win that Tavares' team which lost in the first round.

If you put Tavares on the Isles currently with their revamped defense and new goaltending? They'd still have swept Pens obviously but with how tight these Carolina games have been he quite literally could have been the difference. It's partly his own impact, and then the impact he has on changing matchups for second-tier options like Barzal.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

They lost him for nothing. I am pretty sure having an "extra" top line C would be nice.

Do I think he woulda helped? Yes of course. But I have a feeling Canes would have won this series anyway even if Isles did have JT.

 

[Bedards Dad]

I think they would be better, but I dont think they would be enough to beat the Canes. They are a slightly better version of Edmontom from a few years ago.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Tavares would be a 60 point player on this Isles team

 

[jcs0218]

Maybe the Islanders miss the Playoffs with Tavares? Like they did last year with Tavares.

It seemed like they used Tavares leaving as motivation all season long, and perhaps wouldn't have had the same hunger to make the playoffs if they had him in their lineup.

Because let's face it...Their success hasn't been built on talent. It has been built on being hungrier and harder working than their opponents, which are traits that are born when your team captain ditches you and you take it personally.

 

[Metroid]

Bad karma thread

Leafs are already unlucky and have bad karma their way. Lol won't matter

 

[Saekk]

Should ask Leafs fans instead how much adding Tavares helped them to get to the 2nd round this year.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Tavares would be a 60 point player on this Isles team

Anywhere between 60-75. Certainly not Toronto numbers. He would’ve had responsibility under Trotz, that’s forsure.

 

[macleod50]

With the team constructed as it is now? Of course.

With Doug Weight style arcade hockey? Might/might not make the playoffs.

 

[SabresSharks]

Sacrilege!

 

[mikeyfan]

NOPE

 

[Subbanned]

Maybe the Islanders miss the Playoffs with Tavares? Like they did last year with Tavares.

It seemed like they used Tavares leaving as motivation all season long, and perhaps wouldn't have had the same hunger to make the playoffs if they had him in their lineup.

Because let's face it...Their success hasn't been built on talent. It has been built on being hungrier and harder working than their opponents, which are traits that are born when your team captain ditches you and you take it personally.

LOL ok. Or it's because they got superb goaltending and an excellent coach that lowered their GAA drastically. Or was it just "hurr durr guys we are angry John left us" that made them drastically different at a systemic level?

Sour grapes don't change the fact that a superstar center like Tavares unequivocally makes this team better. Arguing otherwise is asinine and salty.

 

[George Clooney]

Why do I have a feeling this thread is going to get closed in the near future?

 

[Legion34]

Ughhhhh series isn’t over yet. Stop embarrassing yourself.

Jinx thread for canes fans.

 

[34]

1000%

Tavares was the best player on that team and still would be by a long shot!

 

[34]

Ughhhhh series isn’t over yet. Stop embarrassing yourself.

Jinx thread for canes fans.

Oh, this series is over. Make no mistake. The Islanders are getting shut out in game 4. Done like dinner, put a fork in it.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

1000%

Tavares was the best player on that team and still would be by a long shot!

Tavares was out-performed by Barzal last year and Lehner out-performed him this year.