Tavares Worst Captain Ever

[NorthStar4Canes]

Curious if they disliked him that much why did they all cry like little babies when he left?

No dog in the fight but it wasn't him simply leaving, it was how he strung them along his last year+ only to leave the NYI holding an empty bag.

One doesn't have to be an Isles fan to recognize his as one of the shittiest moves by a supposed franchise player, and when he offered up an excited pajama-boy picture for public consumption the moment he left in contrast to his repeated assertions of there being "good communication" in order to deflect any questions re re-signing, that empty bag looks a lot like it was no accident.

What it looks like is that his childhood dream of TOR looked so dreamy he spent a year BS-ing NYers so the Leafs didn't need to trade assets away to a Conference rival. Turns out the vaguely-put "good communication" wasn't in reference to negotiating with the Isles' management as one would assume, but more likely with some folks in Toronto.

Like it or not, his actions cast doubt on his words at the time, and he carries the odor of negotiating in bad faith if not outright betrayal. For many not living in NY or TOR, his star of general Like-ability fell and many don't mind seeing his on-ice success fall in the same manner.

 

[JianYang]

Agreed. Dubas was a novice and he got excited. To be fair, though, I think a number of other individuals would have made the signing if in a position to do so.

The story was good. He was a local boy and had a reputation for being a franchise level player. Plus at the time, we didn't know exactly how good Matthews would be. I'm sure not many expected him to be a 60+ goal scorer.

Tavares aged worse than I expected. I remember even in his first season in Toronto, he would try to deke guys out and end up losing the puck because his skating couldn't keep up with his hands. He lost his puck carrying ability away from the boards a long time ago. There is no need to spend $11 mil per on a centre who is ineffective at carrying the puck and in transition. They would have been better off keeping Kadri or finding a cheaper upgrade.

In terms of leadership: He's not right for the group they have. On a team with a winning culture and less mentally fragile star players, he might be a decent veteran presence in the locker room.

I wonder since the penguins were one of the top dogs at the time that dubas went towards that blueprint of making his version of Crosby and Malkin down the middle...with reilly as his version of letang. Also going with unheralded goalies like how Matt Murray won with them. That threat at center masked their weaknesses pretty well.

Crosby and Malkin is one of the greatest duos at center of all time though... but just a thought.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Not to mention wishing him death, etc. A real classy bunch.

When did that ever happen or are we lying again?

 

[Bizz]

All this talk about how Matthews should be Leafs captain the day after he was a complete no-show in the third period.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Agreed. Dubas was a novice and he got excited. To be fair, though, I think a number of other individuals would have made the signing if in a position to do so.

The story was good. He was a local boy and had a reputation for being a franchise level player. Plus at the time, we didn't know exactly how good Matthews would be. I'm sure not many expected him to be a 60+ goal scorer.

Tavares aged worse than I expected. I remember even in his first season in Toronto, he would try to deke guys out and end up losing the puck because his skating couldn't keep up with his hands. He lost his puck carrying ability away from the boards a long time ago. There is no need to spend $11 mil per on a centre who is ineffective at carrying the puck and in transition. They would have been better off keeping Kadri or finding a cheaper upgrade.

In terms of leadership: He's not right for the group they have. On a team with a winning culture and less mentally fragile star players, he might be a decent veteran presence in the locker room.

The bolded has always been the problem with expectations since the signing. Tavares isn't a franchise level player, not unless you'd also call guys like Mark Scheifele a franchise level talent as well. He had about a 2 or 3 year stretch where you might be able to argue it, but the vast amount of his career he was more along the lines of a Scheifele-level player than a franchise guys (ie. a MacKinnon or Matthews level).

So the Leafs essentially paid for a perennial 100 point player, but instead got a 70-80 point player. And with his age, that got even worse as he aged. That was always going to be a bad decision based on the cap restraints, as well as the expectations of what you were getting.

And that's exactly how it's played out. The Leafs have been paying franchise salary to a guy who finishes most years around or outside the top 20 in scoring.

 

[JianYang]

The bolded has always been the problem with expectations since the signing. Tavares isn't a franchise level player, not unless you'd also call guys like Mark Scheifele a franchise level talent as well. He had about a 2 or 3 year stretch where you might be able to argue it, but the vast amount of his career he was more along the lines of a Scheifele-level player than a franchise guys (ie. a MacKinnon or Matthews level).

So the Leafs essentially paid for a perennial 100 point player, but instead got a 70-80 point player. And with his age, that got even worse as he aged. That was always going to be a bad decision based on the cap restraints, as well as the expectations of what you were getting.

And that's exactly how it's played out. The Leafs have been paying franchise salary to a guy who finishes most years around or outside the top 20 in scoring.

In context though, Tavares put up those numbers playing alongside the likes of PA parenteau.

In Toronto it was a different kind of issue. They paid him franchise money to be the secondary center.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

No dog in the fight but it wasn't him simply leaving, it was how he strung them along his last year+ only to leave the NYI holding an empty bag.

One doesn't have to be an Isles fan to recognize his as one of the shittiest moves by a supposed franchise player, and when he offered up an excited pajama-boy picture for public consumption the moment he left in contrast to his repeated assertions of there being "good communication" in order to deflect any questions re re-signing, that empty bag looks a lot like it was no accident.

What it looks like is that his childhood dream of TOR looked so dreamy he spent a year BS-ing NYers so the Leafs didn't need to trade assets away to a Conference rival. Turns out the vaguely-put "good communication" wasn't in reference to negotiating with the Isles' management as one would assume, but more likely with some folks in Toronto.

Like it or not, his actions cast doubt on his words at the time, and he carries the odor of negotiating in bad faith if not outright betrayal. For many not living in NY or TOR, his star of general Like-ability fell and many don't mind seeing his on-ice success fall in the same manner.

I've yet to see these pajamas.

I want to see them gosh dang it!

 

[NorthStar4Canes]

I've yet to see these pajamas.

I want to see them gosh dang it!

You'll probably have to wait until he (maybe) gets inducted into the HHOF and they make it into his display. Until then, his mom probably has them locked away in a chest somewhere.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

I’m sure it is, but just to confirm that’s photoshopped, right?

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[Rob]

The Leafs will only be able to make major rosters changes once his salary is off the books at the end of next season.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

Curious if they disliked him that much why did they all cry like little babies when he left?

The way he let was dirty pool. He wanted to "keep the band together" in Toronto, so he screwed us over. Old news at this point, but he might have won a Cup had he stayed.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

Not to mention wishing him death, etc. A real classy bunch.

We did not wish him death, although he should have played at least one game in the PJ's.

 

[Dr Pepper]

You can order the issue on their site if you'd like:

2018 FUTURE WATCH | 7113

THN’s Future Watch 2018 has all the staples of our popular annual prospect-blowout edition: our Top 100 list, Top 10s and team grades for every franchise, Sneak Peeks at the 2018, ’19 and ’20 drafts and much more. Also in the issue: features on Mittlestadt, Pettersson, Strome and the Toronto...

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I love how Samsonov made the same cover, only to now be lumped in with the same sad group years later.

That said......I'd still take him over Carter Hart right about now.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Not sure about the worst ever, but how can anyone be inspired watching this guy?

 

[Dolemite]

The guy isn't just a coach killer but also a GM/Assistant Coach/Soon to be Ex-President/ Killer. Yeah, he puts up points, just like he did with the Islanders, but they're all powerplay points and the team around his leadership always suck. Even with the same players they went from putrid to conference finals mostly by his absence and player responsibility. I honestly believe those around him really aren't impressed by him or just don't believe what he says. He obviously doesn't come across as someone who has your back and you would go to war with you. That said I believe Matthews is that guy. They obviously need to address the gorilla in the room and switch captionship already. Way, Way overdue!!!

Don't blame Tavares for the Leafs disfunction and the lack of overall playoff depth for the umpteenth season in a row.

The only way to fix this is to clean house in the Front Office top down.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Don't blame Tavares for the Leafs disfunction and the lack of overall playoff depth for the umpteenth season in a row.

The only way to fix this is to clean house in the Front Office top down.

I'm not a fan of either team, but I've watched most of this series.


I'm not sure if this is necessarily true, but it seems like the captain usually embodies the teams identity. Tough teams have tough captains. And the Bruins are feisty as f***. They play like their captain.


By comparison, Tavares is a bit too 2-ply against this Bruins team.

 

[Sky04]

Don't blame Tavares for the Leafs disfunction and the lack of overall playoff depth for the umpteenth season in a row.

The only way to fix this is to clean house in the Front Office top down.

He is the reason they don't have any depth genius. We going to pretend his 11M caphit doesn't hurt the team? That his is awful playoff production are why the Leafs suck for the umpteenth seasons in a row.

 

[Henry Miller]

Captain is just a figurehead or mascot position. Anyone can be a leader in a locker room regardless if they have a letter on their jersey or not

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

It's not really captaining... Tavares is part of the problem, though.

It's funny watching the core players melt down on each other considering the core players' individual greed is the problem. Leafs fans were told years ago when Matthews and Marner signed their 2nd deals that they weren't gonna be able to compete with a cap structure like that.

Some have figured it out. Some haven't. Leafs management sure hasn't.

 

[Dolemite]

He is the reason they don't have any depth genius. We going to pretend his 11M caphit doesn't hurt the team? That his is awful playoff production are why the Leafs suck for the umpteenth seasons in a row.

No, their front office is the reason.

 

[Danarqhy]

Tavares is captain of the Leafs like Joe Biden is president of America. Just a (barely) warm body out there.

 

[Dolemite]

I'm not a fan of either team, but I've watched most of this series.


I'm not sure if this is necessarily true, but it seems like the captain usually embodies the teams identity. Tough teams have tough captains. And the Bruins are feisty as f***. They play like their captain.


By comparison, Tavares is a bit too 2-ply against this Bruins team.

The Bruins have tons of experience in the playoffs and with the Leafs.

The game plan has always been shut down their top two lines/top four D as the Leafs can't hit the broadside of a barn with their bottom line players.

It blows my mind that the Leafs AGAIN think they can go deep in the playoffs with a severe lack of talented depth.

 

[UED]

winning isn't part of the players' job description. that's the GM's job. Dubas is the malicious idiot who ruined the Leafs. Their D is strikingly similar to that of the 2012 Islanders and that team took one look at their defense and hit the panic button and drafted only dmen. Unlike them, Dubas never drafted a single dman in his tenure, if you don't count 5'10" scorers as dmen even if they generally stay behind the forwards. I think the Leafs need to borrow the Isles' panic button, and press it, and focus on dmen in trades, UFA and drafts for the next 5 years. They need everything, a 1D, a 2D, a 3D. I would hate Rielly anywhere on my team but I think he's probably a passable offensive 4D.

 

[These Are The Days]

Don't blame Tavares for the Leafs disfunction and the lack of overall playoff depth for the umpteenth season in a row.

The only way to fix this is to clean house in the Front Office top down.

The Leafs already had Marner, Nylander, Matthews and Kadri in tow as the 2C with Reilly anchoring the back end. Why the hell do you need Tavares with that lineup? That $11 million could've gone to another defender or goaltender who could make a save. It was the stupidest possible thing Dubas could have done aside from not blowing up that team YEARS ago

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

He needs to man up and do what Joe Thornton did by removing the C and offering it to someone else on the team.