John Tavares appreciation thread

[hotpaws]

Guy is having long-term slump right now. Could it possible that he is playing through an injury?

unless the injury dates back to the start of last season then the answer is no

 

[frizzer1]

Could be the pressure of the captaincy is affecting him.
Or he could be one of those athletes who decline at around 30, especially those who struggle with skating.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

He wasn’t strong last year either. Lots of built in explanations and injuries, and this year was supposed to be his bounce back. People just don’t pay attention because his stats line is usually respectable.

Last year he was not getting his normal chances ... this year he is ... big difference ... unfortunately JT is not converting at his normal rate ... but he will ... i am not worried at all ... he will start to score again ... he won't continue at a 10% scoring clip rate ... much like he isn't going to score at a 17% clip like he did his 1st season with us ... you can see his frustration and you know he knows he should be scoring more ... when he stops getting his chances than you will know it is either injury like last year or father time

 

[Throw More Waffles]

Could be the pressure of the captaincy is affecting him.
Or he could be one of those athletes who decline at around 30, especially those who struggle with skating.

That would be a really tough pill to swallow, given our league minimum 41 year old is putting up similar production this year....

 

[Ashdown2]

i really want them to split up nylander and tavares. The dont have chemistry and its very goddamn obvious.
it doesnt even have to be a taraves and marner reunion, try tavares and matthews lol ... i dont care just mix up those 2 lines to get anyone other than matthews scoring 5 on 5

 

[hotpaws]

i really want them to split up nylander and tavares. The dont have chemistry and its very goddamn obvious.
it doesnt even have to be a taraves and marner reunion, try tavares and matthews lol ... i dont care just mix up those 2 lines to get anyone other than matthews scoring 5 on 5

the teams winning and Mahtews and Marner are tearing it up so you don't split them up because JT is playing like crap

 

[1specter]

He wasn’t strong last year either. Lots of built in explanations and injuries, and this year was supposed to be his bounce back. People just don’t pay attention because his stats line is usually respectable.

Eh, I keep seeing people say 'Tavares wasn't good last year', but that's actually kinda inaccurate. Yes, he had a bad start, but after Babcock was fired, only Nylander and Matthews scored more goals, and only Marner and Matthews had more points. In terms of play impact (chances, shot share etc.) he was also among the top with again only Matthews and Nylander driving play more than him.

Then in the play-ins during the summer, again only Matthews was overall better than him IMO. Overall, from the time that Keefe took over through the play-ins he was quite good. This season though he is noticeably worse.

 

[Stephen]

Eh, I keep seeing people say 'Tavares wasn't good last year', but that's actually kinda inaccurate. Yes, he had a bad start, but after Babcock was fired, only Nylander and Matthews scored more goals, and only Marner and Matthews had more points. In terms of play impact (chances, shot share etc.) he was also among the top with again only Matthews and Nylander driving play more than him.

Then in the play-ins during the summer, again only Matthews was overall better than him IMO. Overall, from the time that Keefe took over through the play-ins he was quite good. This season though he is noticeably worse.

Tavares’ statistical production is never a big issue but last year we noticed a real dip in play accompanied by talking points that revolved around being a new parent and an injured hand and oblique. Here’s the play-in talking points about how Tavares needs to reset. Again, he’s a very respected player and person in the game so he’s usually treated with kid gloves but the talking points clearly talk about having to get back to a level of play.

After injury-plagued year, John Tavares looks 'excellent' at camp - TSN.ca

Here’s the hand injury that was attributed to a dip in production.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5324764

 

[wingman75]

Thought Tavares was excellent vs the Flames tonight. Pretty much zero turnovers, skating great, back checking with authority winning board battles (well not losing all of them at least).

He is trending the right way. Now he needs a game where the changes come but don't go in... then he should be righted.

 

[sxvnert]

If Keefe wants a 20min shutdown line:

Mik Tavares Hyman

 

[Critical13]

That would be a really tough pill to swallow, given our league minimum 41 year old is putting up similar production this year....

It is hard to take your evaluation of any player or salary seriously ever since you posted that Matthews was a 70 pt player who should have been paid like one.

 

[meefer]

JT, last two years: 83 games played, 77 points, a .93/G rate of production. Career: 834 games played, 786 points, a .94/G rate of production. As you can see, a huge drop off these last two years.

As @Zybalto offers: "Fewest Goals against/60 5v5 among the 13 forwards to play regular minutes on the Leafs this year:

1. Taveras
2. Kerfoot
3. Thornton (including him as he's been played hard minutes)
4. Marner
5. Nylander

NHL ranking out of the 57 NHL forwards with at least 250 minutes played:

3. Tavares

For all the complaining about him, he sure isnt costing the team in this area. Probably why he still has a 5v5 goal differential of 56.41."

He may not be having the standout year he had two seasons ago, but lets not lose our minds and say Tavares is a bad hockey player. His shooting percentage is low this year, once it returns to form, we'll all be thankful to have him on the team.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

It is hard to take your evaluation of any player or salary seriously ever since you posted that Matthews was a 70 pt player who should have been paid like one.

View attachment 400200

And fully stand by it. Everybody knew that Pastrnak would be something VERY special after his final elc year. EVERYBODY!!!!

But he was still paid based on what his REAL stats were. Not on what everyone KNEW he would be. Why? Because gm's have that much leverage in rfa negotiations. Gm's (other than Kyle Dubas) pay players based on what they've PROVEN. Not what they hope/believe they become. And Matthews was a 70 point career high player that signed a contract valuing him as the top 3 best player in the league.

Was Dubas right? Sure. But SO WAS PASTRNAKS GM!!!! And I'd much rather have Matthews signed a s 70 point players value.. like Pastrnak is.

(Pastrnak is also goal per game this year, and has 14 points in 9 games).

 

[saffronleaf]

And fully stand by it. Everybody knew that Pastrnak would be something VERY special after his final elc year. EVERYBODY!!!!

But he was still paid based on what his REAL stats were. Not on what everyone KNEW he would be. Why? Because gm's have that much leverage in rfa negotiations. Gm's (other than Kyle Dubas) pay players based on what they've PROVEN. Not what they hope/believe they become. And Matthews was a 70 point career high player that signed a contract valuing him as the top 3 best player in the league.

Was Dubas right? Sure. But SO WAS PASTRNAKS GM!!!! And I'd much rather have Matthews signed a s 70 point players value.. like Pastrnak is.

(Pastrnak is also goal per game this year, and has 14 points in 9 games).

 

[TimeZone]

Man, this guy looks like he's fallen off a cliff.

Terrifying to witness.

 

[LeafGrief]

The last game or two JT seems to have turned the corner from playing poorly to just being snakebitten. He looked like he was shot out of a cannon in the first period and got in alone on Rittich who was channeling Georgiev all night. He's looking stronger along the boards and his puck control is better. What's still missing is JT style scoring chances. We don't shoot from the point much for deflections and he's not getting much in the way of looks on the rush. He and Nylander still don't seem to have any chemistry.

We're JT paying enough that he should be making his own luck and chemistry, but he's trending in the right direction.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Man, this guy looks like he's fallen off a cliff.

Terrifying to witness.

We talking about @Throw More Waffles?

 

[TimeZone]

We talking about @Throw More Waffles?

I've never been a believer in him

 

[smokes lets go]

Could be the pressure of the captaincy is affecting him.
Or he could be one of those athletes who decline at around 30, especially those who struggle with skating.

Pavelski and Thornton say hi.

 

[frizzer1]

Pavelski and Thornton say hi.

Thornton takes a while to get there but when he does he can shield the puck with his big body

 

[WillyC]

Has there ever been another legitimate NHL Superstar UFA who signed with his hometown NHL Team?

It was almost Stamkos before Tavares... however, I cannot think of anyone significant.

Does anyone know the closest example to a hometown player like Tavares in this scenario?

The reason I bring this up?... the Leafs know most fans are not armchair GMs who think the team should be able to sign every contract as the best value contract in the NHL... when a Hometown Superstar like John Tavares wants to come home for $2 million less per year as an UFA... you move on that every time and prepare for that Superstar to retire in his hometown.

IMHO, there are only 3 untouchable players on the Leafs... Matthews, Marner, and Tavares.

My bold prediction for the Leafs future... they will hoist the Cup within the next 3 years.
I also predict Tavares, Matthews and Marner all retire as Toronto Maple Leafs after winning more than one Stanley Cup.

Also, when the Tavares contract expires, I predict JT signs for league min. and during the 2023-24 season, the Leafs pass the C onto a re-signed Auston Matthews.

I would not be surprised to see McDavid become the next NHL Superstar UFA to go home and play for his hometown team.

Again, does anyone know of another Superstar UFA, signing with their hometown team like what the Leafs did with Tavares?

 

[RogerR]

Has there ever been another legitimate NHL Superstar UFA who signed with his hometown NHL Team?

It was almost Stamkos before Tavares... however, I cannot think of anyone significant.

Does anyone know the closest example to a hometown player like Tavares in this scenario?

The reason I bring this up?... the Leafs know most fans are not armchair GMs who think the team should be able to sign every contract as the best value contract in the NHL... when a Hometown Superstar like John Tavares wants to come home for $2 million less per year as an UFA... you move on that every time and prepare for that Superstar to retire in his hometown.

IMHO, there are only 3 untouchable players on the Leafs... Matthews, Marner, and Tavares.

My bold prediction for the Leafs future... they will hoist the Cup within the next 3 years.
I also predict Tavares, Matthews and Marner all retire as Toronto Maple Leafs after winning more than one Stanley Cup.

Also, when the Tavares contract expires, I predict JT signs for league min. and during the 2023-24 season, the Leafs pass the C onto a re-signed Auston Matthews.

I would not be surprised to see McDavid become the next NHL Superstar UFA to go home and play for his hometown team.

Again, does anyone know of another Superstar UFA, signing with their hometown team like what the Leafs did with Tavares?

The closest I can think of with the Leafs was CUJO, he's from King City. But NHL stars very rarely are UFas, so not too many examples.

Leaf players have it so good here they don't want to leave. Those signing bonsses are something majority of teams can't offer. matthews has made over 32 million last 2 July 1st bonus days.

 

[Critical13]

And fully stand by it.

Well I can appreciate anyone who stands by their awful takes.

If you are going to use Pastrnak as your measuring stick, every single other contract in the NHL is going to look bad. It's the best contract in hockey. No one thought he would be a top 10 player in the game.

 

[BlueForever75]

Tavares is getting his chances, its not like hes been non-existent. He's been in and around the net with solid scoring opportunities during this entire slump. I believe the issue with him is that he's playing with a player (Nylander) that is also pressing due to the pressures of the media and fans. You put 2 players as such together, this is what happens.

You have Nylander that is being pressed to produce but also is supposed to be feeding Tavares to get him his chances and goals. So instead of both players just playing the game and going with the flow. They are both trying and pressing to do what is expected of them.

How about Nylander goes out there and creates chances by shooting the puck more. This will open the ice for Tavares and the goals and points will come to both of them. Instead right now when ever that line is on the ice, everyone and their grandfather knows when Nylander has the puck and crosses to blueline he is looking to pass off the puck to Tavares. Chances are shut down and lanes are clogged up.

Shoot the puck, drive the net. You will see scoring improve for both of them. Passing lanes will open because if they expect Nylander to shoot, he can dish it off more accurately.

This is what I think is the issue. This is why Marner and Matthews is working better this season at a higher clip. Marner has made a more conscious effort to shoot more. Defenses cannot zone in on Matthews anymore on that line. Cause Marner can shoot the puck as well as he has shown with his 9 goals thus far. And now Matthews is rounding into not only a goal scorer but he also can pass the puck.

This is where Nylander and Tavares need to get to. They both are relying on their past strengths and teams have them figured out as a tandem.

They need to change.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Tavares is getting his chances, its not like hes been non-existent. He's been in and around the net with solid scoring opportunities during this entire slump. I believe the issue with him is that he's playing with a player (Nylander) that is also pressing due to the pressures of the media and fans. You put 2 players as such together, this is what happens.

You have Nylander that is being pressed to produce but also is supposed to be feeding Tavares to get him his chances and goals. So instead of both players just playing the game and going with the flow. They are both trying and pressing to do what is expected of them.

How about Nylander goes out there and creates chances by shooting the puck more. This will open the ice for Tavares and the goals and points will come to both of them. Instead right now when ever that line is on the ice, everyone and their grandfather knows when Nylander has the puck and crosses to blueline he is looking to pass off the puck to Tavares. Chances are shut down and lanes are clogged up.

Shoot the puck, drive the net. You will see scoring improve for both of them. Passing lanes will open because if they expect Nylander to shoot, he can dish it off more accurately.

This is what I think is the issue. This is why Marner and Matthews is working better this season at a higher clip. Marner has made a more conscious effort to shoot more. Defenses cannot zone in on Matthews anymore on that line. Cause Marner can shoot the puck as well as he has shown with his 9 goals thus far. And now Matthews is rounding into not only a goal scorer but he also can pass the puck.

This is where Nylander and Tavares need to get to. They both are relying on their past strengths and teams have them figured out as a tandem.

They need to change.

All that is true along with the fact that JT has to stop trying to deke out the whole team when he gets the puck over the blue line. It has not worked for him...like at all. Play a simple game and things will work out...playing like you still think you're in junior and trying to go through everyone on the other team is just plain stupid. Also, what is with the no look passes to areas where there isn't even a Leaf player? I don't think hail mary's are the answer for his problems.