John Tavares would be ___ line C on your team?

Where would Tavares slot into your team?


  • Total voters
    655

AvroArrow

Fire Keefe
Jun 10, 2011
18,193
18,537
Toronto
Now with 17 points in the last 14 games, after starting out with just 3 points in his first 7. Climbed his way to 11th overall (tied with Aho for 9th in scoring among C, but more GP) he has been our best C on the year. He's been playing absolutely elite 2 way hockey since the embarrassment back to back games vs Pittsburgh/Carolina. He is the 1C on this Leafs team right now and is playing the best hockey I have ever seen him play, he's been carrying this team over the last stretch of games.

With the way he has elevated his game this past month, I think he'd be in serious contention for 1C on any team in the league not named Edmonton right now. Yes I know there's guys like Sid/Mackinnon/Barkov etc. that have a better track record over the last couple years. Kadri has better numbers overall on the year. But that's how good he's been during this stretch.

I still wouldn't expect Colorado/Florida fans to put him ahead of Mackinnon/Barkov, which is fair, but would the results be different if the poll was re-done today ? Which teams would he actually be a 3C on ? only one I can think of is Edmonton.
 

Hynh

Registered User
Jun 19, 2012
6,170
5,345
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.
I think I would run 2LW-1LW as the first unit and 4C-2/3RW as the second unit.
 

Makar Goes Fast

grocery stick
Aug 17, 2012
12,602
4,219
downtown poundtown
Not over Mackinnon and there seems to be a high value or JT’s current strong play, but that strong play doesn’t hold a candle to kadri’s strong play.

so I’ll say 3C as it stands today. But he’s be playing 2nd line wing in Colorado.
 

koyvoo

Registered User
Nov 8, 2014
17,268
17,051
I suppose “right now” means something different to everyone.

The bigger problem is people not being able to separate an emotional bond to a player vs logical evaluation.
 

DueDiligence

Registered User
Nov 16, 2013
8,521
4,888
Now with 17 points in the last 14 games, after starting out with just 3 points in his first 7. Climbed his way to 11th overall (tied with Aho for 9th in scoring among C, but more GP) he has been our best C on the year. He's been playing absolutely elite 2 way hockey since the embarrassment back to back games vs Pittsburgh/Carolina. He is the 1C on this Leafs team right now and is playing the best hockey I have ever seen him play, he's been carrying this team over the last stretch of games.

With the way he has elevated his game this past month, I think he'd be in serious contention for 1C on any team in the league not named Edmonton right now. Yes I know there's guys like Sid/Mackinnon/Barkov etc. that have a better track record over the last couple years. Kadri has better numbers overall on the year. But that's how good he's been during this stretch.

I still wouldn't expect Colorado/Florida fans to put him ahead of Mackinnon/Barkov, which is fair, but would the results be different if the poll was re-done today ? Which teams would he actually be a 3C on ? only one I can think of is Edmonton.
It won't last.
 

biturbo19

Registered User
Jul 13, 2010
25,792
10,842
For the Canucks...i assume he'd be centering whichever line Horvat isn't. So probably technically...#1C? Pettersson and Miller can easily be pushed to the wing.

Miller-Tavares-Pettersson
Garland-Horvat-Boeser

Garland-Tavares-Pettersson
Miller-Horvat-Boeser

idk.

He'd be one of the top two centers though. Mostly because others are more flexible in moving to the wing and providing a ton of value there. Maybe it's even like the Penguins when they were rolling Bonino-Kessel as a "3rd line", where JT Miller/Horvat gets bumped to delineated "#3C" playing with Hoglander but playing a de facto Top-6 role.
 

notbias

Registered User
Feb 16, 2017
9,074
8,017
Not over Mackinnon and there seems to be a high value or JT’s current strong play, but that strong play doesn’t hold a candle to kadri’s strong play.

so I’ll say 3C as it stands today. But he’s be playing 2nd line wing in Colorado.

You're wrong, but okay. Kadri's hot streak is not who he is as a player, there is a massive outlier in his career and it is this season.
 

Sky04

Registered User
Jan 8, 2009
29,111
18,205
Definitely not a guy you want 1st or 2nd in the playoffs given his performances and the Leafs performances with him as captain.
 
Last edited:

AvroArrow

Fire Keefe
Jun 10, 2011
18,193
18,537
Toronto
As I said; it won't last.

Of course, and neither will horrible stretches like the first 7 games of the year. I don't see how he can do better than he is right now so obviously at some point the production will come down, but right now he looks like he's at his peak.
 

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