OT: All Purpose Tavares Thread

[Brunomics]

Don't worry. Isles fans will have the last laugh. This is nothing new for me to say, but I had great concerns of his slowing play last season. He looked like he couldn't keep up with the pace of play in the second half. Some have said he checked out already, and had moved on. But I believe we will see a Toews like decline for Traitor. The Isles lucked out in Dubass power point presentation wooing Judas away. It may not be next year, but it will be soon enough. That 11M x 7 year contract will rule its ugly head. I am 100% certain we will see that day. The game is getting faster, and Traitor is only getting slower. Posted this on the main board. Leafs fans love citing 5 v 5 stats to prop up their players. They forget Traitor was 48th in P/60 for fwds last season at 1000 mins. 48th. for 15.9 per.

Also the ones saying 90 points have their heads in their asses. Three past years he's had a good a line mates as any other in the league and the prior two years he's averaging about 72 points per season. Last season he was only above a point a game because of his strong first half. The second half of the season he was on a 68 point pace.

Also the people that want to point to last seasons totals totally ignore that the Isles played a completely wide open game. Babcock will never have his team play a game like that. If he is lax in the D zone shit will go down between him and the coach.

 

[MIK55]

I understand he and his new wife went straight back to their home in Toronto and are staying there until he finally decides where they will go on their honeymoon.

I guess she will have to go through his childhood pajamas collection to find out.

 

[MIK55]

Seems like it will be the blood thirsty - throwing full beers on the other team type Islander crowd....as opposed to lets hug Sparky and keep quiet so we can hear the announcement type crowd.

All I know is that I would not want to be the one wearing blue and white in the arena that night.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Also the ones saying 90 points have their heads in their asses. Three past years he's had a good a line mates as any other in the league and the prior two years he's averaging about 72 points per season. Last season he was only above a point a game because of his strong first half. The second half of the season he was on a 68 point pace.

Also the people that want to point to last seasons totals totally ignore that the Isles played a completely wide open game. Babcock will never have his team play a game like that. If he is lax in the D zone **** will go down between him and the coach.

I can only keep saying this since I started to watch more Isles games last season. Traitor Tavares is not as good a player that I saw him when I saw him in snippets. If last season was his 2nd best statistical year of his career. I may have missed something in my analysis all these year. I was very underwhelmed with my lasting impressions of him after the fast start.

This elite Center I am reading since he signed with his pajama boy dream team, is being hyped to the max. He is not in the class of McDavid, Crosby, Malkin, Mackinnon, Scheifele, level of Centers.

Now, I just may have caught him when he was checking out on the Isles when he packed it in on them in the 2nd half of last season. Or he was injured, but I have not read any lingering injuries this summer. I can only say I was not impressed how he looked in the 2nd half of last season when the Isles needed him most, and when truly elite players rise to the occasion and carry a team.

The fact Barzal outplayed him down the stretch, should not be lost on anyone here. It's just inconceivable a rookie Center in his first year seemed to care more, and try to put the team over a 9 year vet, that is the captain of the team. But this is where we are today. This is why I am telling Isles fans to not worry, the losing Tavares years are being turned over. He will never live up to double his cap hit of 5.5 at ages 28-35. 15.9 next year.

The only bad feeling I have in this, is The Traitor's intentions. He should have let the Isles Mgt know to trade him. Even 1 first rd pick would have sufficed. The villains are Judas and Snow. What a bumbling 2 some.

Fortunately for Isles fans, relief is here. Lou, Trotz, Korn, ect... a new culture led by a new fresh core of young players.

 

[leeroggy]

My understanding is that he has set up interviews with hoteliers from Aruba, Paris, Bali, and Vienna. Even though he owns pajamas with pictures of Vienna sausages, he told all locations that they're still in it.

You forgot Candy Land.

 

[Thrasymachus]

If JT scores 90 this year imo it has less to do with linemates and moreso is an indication that JT's heart was never really in it

 

[Bood12]

If JT scores 90 this year imo it has less to do with linemates and moreso is an indication that JT's heart was never really in it

what I am afraid of, as I always maintained Tavares I am sure hated being here in his 9 years here and was looking to bolt to the Leafs or greener pastures as soon as he thought it would be acceptable, really hope we do not see a different Tavares, granted he just does not seem like he has the speed that will put him in the elite company but who knows

 

[Bones45]

Why is this thread still open?

 

[Thrasymachus]

Why is this thread still open?

It helps keep people from starting NEW Tavares threads. Best to quarantine all the garbage in one spot.

I have moved on, mostly.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

If JT scores 90 this year imo it has less to do with linemates and moreso is an indication that JT's heart was never really in it

If JT scores 90+ points this year, it's because Marner's development curve just went sky high and he turned into prime Patrick Kane overnight.

Otherwise, between Babcock's love of spreading ice time around, and the fact Tavares won't be getting those minute-long shifts and playing the majority of each PP, I don't see it. Not unless league-wide scoring continues to go up and there's like 20 guys who end up with 90+ points.

 

[BarBeauWahlDobLok]

I only wanted Tavares back for one reason: Mat Barzal insulation.

His contact will he an albatross for the Leafs as early as next season. His next transaction will be a trade. He won't make it through this contract.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I only wanted Tavares back for one reason: Mat Barzal insulation.

His contact will he an albatross for the Leafs as early as next season. His next transaction will be a trade. He won't make it through this contract.

This is what I said, Traitor's contract will be digestible for 2, maybe for a 3rd season. But his decline will be marvellous to watch if you are an Islanders fan, for how he left the team, not even allowing them to retrieve one asset. It will be marvellous, I saw it happen to Brad Richards, and this will be twice as dramatic. Tavares has never been a winner. He needs help to win, if the Leafs win the Cup it will be on the shoulders of others. Not Pajama boy. 7 years is a long time to have an aging slowing player at 11M per.

 

[saintunspecified]

This is what I said, Traitor's contract will be digestible for 2, maybe for a 3rd season. But his decline will be marvellous to watch if you are an Islanders fan, for how he left the team, not even allowing them to retrieve one asset. It will be marvellous, I saw it happen to Brad Richards, and this will be twice as dramatic. Tavares has never been a winner. He needs help to win, if the Leafs win the Cup it will be on the shoulders of others. 7 years is a long time to have an aging slowing player at 11M per.

Man, I really don't think JT is too bright, and he handled himself really badly. I'll boo the dude whenever he touches the puck. But don't let your feelings get in the way of common sense. I don't see a steep decline - JT is just too good in the corners to fizzle like a perimeter player.

OTOH, JT will get dogged - not from day one, but maybe month 2 - for overstaying shifts, turning pucks over at the blue line, etc. Babcock ain't gonna suffer it.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

I absolutely do not think Judas will fizzle out or anything like that. If he drops to 70 points.. who cares? I do think expectations are probably going to be too high, and if he finishes the year with 68 points and people see his 3 on 3; Im just saying that he's human and those people over their glorify the dumbest things like this whole return to Canada and bring home the Stanley cup.. anything short of their expectations (90 points + playoffs performance) will have them turn on him.

And that I'm going to look forward to. Honestly we dogged him a bit this year probably because of the pressure of not signing but it was always JT can do no wrong around here. Not the case up there with media pressure and raised expectations.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Man, I really don't think JT is too bright, and he handled himself really badly. I'll boo the dude whenever he touches the puck. But don't let your feelings get in the way of common sense. I don't see a steep decline - JT is just too good in the corners to fizzle like a perimeter player.

OTOH, JT will get dogged - not from day one, but maybe month 2 - for overstaying shifts, turning pucks over at the blue line, etc. Babcock ain't gonna suffer it.

Mark my words. There will be a plethora of players to cite, that are more productive than Johnny Traitor at 11M per that are making a fraction of what he makes. The Cap will be a topic for 7 years if he declines. Only a question of when?

 

[BMOK33]

He probably will have big years the first two years. May even break his career high in one of them. Given his age and the fact he’s playing with a loaded offense I would be surprised if he didn’t. Thereafter he likely declines and it may be a rapid decline as many have said because his poor skating and generally not superb defensive game

 

[seafoam]

He should sit around PPG for the next 5-6 years, and maybe even beyond that. He’s a great player, just not a great leader.

 

[MIK55]

He’s a great player, just not a great leader.

This probably sums up my view of him. He was badly miscast as the guy wearing the "C."

 

[Bood12]

This is what I said, Traitor's contract will be digestible for 2, maybe for a 3rd season. But his decline will be marvellous to watch if you are an Islanders fan, for how he left the team, not even allowing them to retrieve one asset. It will be marvellous, I saw it happen to Brad Richards, and this will be twice as dramatic. Tavares has never been a winner. He needs help to win, if the Leafs win the Cup it will be on the shoulders of others. Not Pajama boy. 7 years is a long time to have an aging slowing player at 11M per.

reality is if he even wins 1 Cup with them it won't be marvelous to watch, even if it is in year 4 of his contract and he is putting up 60 points a season, if it is year 8 and no Cup and Tavares is on another team that will be marvelous, but even if he is riding on the backs of others and is almost an after thought I am sure if he is on the roster when they are getting 1 Cup that is all he and their fans care about

 

[YearlyLottery]

He should sit around PPG for the next 5-6 years, and maybe even beyond that. He’s a great player, just not a great leader.

It's not really about skill though. Toronto is such a good squad within 2-3 years he is not going to be getting nearly the same chances as he was here. There are too many young guys over there who will overstep him when he inches towards his 30's in the second half of that contract.

 

[seafoam]

It's not really about skill though. Toronto is such a good squad within 2-3 years he is not going to be getting nearly the same chances as he was here. There are too many young guys over there who will overstep him when he inches towards his 30's in the second half of that contract.

Just out of curiousity, who’s 2-3 years away in Toronto?

Their offensive “core” is essentially complete, and Tavares is arguably the best of the bunch. I can’t see him getting significantly less minutes in Toronto, and I he may actually benefit from a small decrease in minutes (if Babcock can get him to take shorter shifts), and is a guaranteed top PP unit player too.

If anything, having more talent around him will open up more chances for him.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Just out of curiousity, who’s 2-3 years away in Toronto?

Their offensive “core” is essentially complete, and Tavares is arguably the best of the bunch. I can’t see him getting significantly less minutes in Toronto, and I he may actually benefit from a small decrease in minutes (if Babcock can get him to take shorter shifts), and is a guaranteed top PP unit player too.

If anything, having more talent around him will open up more chances for him.

In 3 years would it surprise you to see Nylander, Marner, and Matthews outscore a 30 year old Tavares? Giving him less time will not create a scenario where he somehow gets MORE points. Keep in mind you think he will keep up this pace for potentially six years.

At 33 years old will Tavares still be getting a PPG as a second line center? Tavares is insanely good on offense because of his hockey IQ. Time will tell, but maybe the 2-3 years I pointed out was too soon.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Just out of curiousity, who’s 2-3 years away in Toronto?

Their offensive “core” is essentially complete, and Tavares is arguably the best of the bunch. I can’t see him getting significantly less minutes in Toronto, and I he may actually benefit from a small decrease in minutes (if Babcock can get him to take shorter shifts), and is a guaranteed top PP unit player too.

If anything, having more talent around him will open up more chances for him.

I think the difference is in New York, the PP ran through Tavares (or mostly, until Barzal showed up). Which means he touched the puck all the time, which resulted in points more often than not when the Isles scored a PP goal.

In Toronto, it's likely not running through him. Marner runs the PP on the right half wall, and chances are the number one option will be a cross-ice pass to Matthews in the slot/left circle to utilize his big shot. Tavares, at best, will probably be option 3 for who gets the puck during the PP (Marner as the QB, Matthews as the trigger man as options 1 and 2).

 

[BelovedIsles]

Been a while since I stopped by this thread.

Blah to the Isles at his wedding. I’m sure they are being PC, I’m sure they don’t hate him as much as fans do. That said, I find it hard to believe that internally they aren’t a little affected (some more than others) at how this went down.

Blah to his nephew. Again, this Leaf thing runs much deeper than we ever imagined.

I would not be invading the Coli, nor BC if I were a leaf fan. They are looking for trouble.

And as far as JTrait being elite. There is no question he is (for me the question is DEGREE of eliteness). I would not judge him based on last season. He was clearly distracted the whole year and his play reflected such (especially 2nd half). I expect him to return to his usual dominant self for the next few years. He still has 4-5 prime years left. He’ll flirt w that 75-95 pt range yearly; playing on a loaded offense should help. He will decline, and he is currently overpaid. With that said, he’s not as great as we hyped him to be. Early on many considered him a tier below Crosby (skating and shot), objectively speaking he’s probably 2 to 3 tiers below.

 

[PWJunior]

Some freaking ass clown Toronto troll liked a ton of my old posts in the Judas Pajamas thread and then makes a bet with me to not be salty. Haha. This is a new one. Setting a new low bar of pathetic, didn't think that was possible.