John Tavares or Ryan O'Reilly

[LeafsNation75]

John Tavares was the 1st overall pick of the 2009 draft and Ryan O'Reilly was the 33rd overall pick that same year. Both are also 29 years old, so going forward who would you rather have playing Centre for your team?

If you look at their personal stats Tavares currently has 345 goals, 424 assists, and 769 points in 814 games played, where as O'Reilly has 195 goals, 365 assists and 560 points in 804 games played.

Tavares also has 5 seasons of at least 30+ goals scored and that includes 47 goals for Toronto during the 2018-19 season. He also set a new career high in points for Toronto when he registered 88 points that same year.

O'Reilly has not yet scored at least 30 goals in any season and the closest he got to that was 28 goals in the 2013-14 and 2018-19 seasons. His best season in terms of total points was 77 the 2018-19 season.

Now the one thing O'Reilly has over Tavares was winning the Conn Smythe in 2019 for the Blues.

In terms of their contracts after the 2019-20 season is finished Tavares will have 5 years and $11 million AAV left on his deal and O'Reilly will have 3 years left at $7.5 million AAV on his deal.

Click to read more...

 

[joe dirte]

Is this a joke?

 

[LeafsNation75]

Is this a joke?

Despite Tavares having a career season for Toronto in his first year with them, it wasn't long after he signed that he was considered to be overrated and no longer a top 10 player. Based on his stats this year which were down compared to the 2018-19 season, the people who thought that are assuming Tavares career is on the decline, even though he was injured and missed games due to suffering a broken finger. So I thought O'Reilly was the best player to compare him with since they both play Centre, are the same age and were drafted in the same year.

 

[joe dirte]

Despite Tavares having a career season for Toronto in his first year with them, it wasn't long after he signed that he was considered to be overrated and no longer a top 10 player. Based on his stats this year which were down compared to the 2018-19 season, the people who thought that are assuming Tavares career is on the decline, even though he was injured and missed games due to suffering a broken finger. So I thought O'Reilly was the best player to compare him with since they both play Centre, are the same age and were drafted in the same year.

Yourw gonna get a few leaf haters, in fact 3 or 4 are already there. But otherwise ibhave a hard time seeing many rational posters voting for oreilly.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Yourw gonna get a few leaf haters, in fact 3 or 4 are already there. But otherwise ibhave a hard time seeing many rational posters voting for oreilly.

I would like to see their reasons why they voted for O'Reilly.

 

[danpantz]

I would like to see their reasons why they voted for O'Reilly.

The guy just won the Selke and the Conn Smythe and was a selke nominee again this year.

Tavares is better offensively though.

 

[LeafsNation75]

The guy just won the Selke and the Conn Smythe and was a selke nominee again this year.

Tavares is better offensively though.

So for you it comes down to O'Reilly winning those awards, okay got it.

 

[Dache]

Now the one thing O'Reilly has over Tavares was winning the Conn Smythe in 2019 for the Blues.

“The one thing” no mention of defence or anything? You’re not even hiding your bias anymore.

 

[jetsforever]

Is this a retaliatory thread or something?

 

[Dache]

So for you it comes down to O'Reilly winning those awards, okay got it.

So for you it comes down to strictly total goals and assists, okay got it.

 

[danpantz]

So for you it comes down to O'Reilly winning those awards, okay got it.

I think ROR is a miles better two way player. And the offensive gap (besides goal scoring) isn't enough to make up that difference for me.

 

[vanarchy]

Now the one thing O'Reilly has over Tavares was winning the Conn Smythe in 2019 for the Blues.

I could have sworn Ryan won something else John has never won but it's slipping my mind at the moment.

 

[Regal]

Despite Tavares having a career season for Toronto in his first year with them, it wasn't long after he signed that he was considered to be overrated and no longer a top 10 player. Based on his stats this year which were down compared to the 2018-19 season, the people who thought that are assuming Tavares career is on the decline, even though he was injured and missed games due to suffering a broken finger. So I thought O'Reilly was the best player to compare him with since they both play Centre, are the same age and were drafted in the same year.

It wasn't a career year for Tavares, it was just a higher scoring league

 

[EurlichBachman]

When you take contracts into account I take O'Reilly.

 

[Regal]

Tavares will go down as the better player for sure, but ROR has been the better player the past two seasons and is cheaper. He's probably the better option right now

 

[LeafsNation75]

“The one thing” no mention of defence or anything? You’re not even hiding your bias anymore.

If I was trying to have a bias I would have never mentioned O'Reilly winning the Conn Smythe and had I remembered he won the Selke Trophy in 2019 I would have also included that. Besides that tell me what I said that wasn't true about both players?

It wasn't a career year for Tavares, it was just a higher scoring league

The 47 goals and 88 points Tavares got during the 2018-19 season for Toronto was new season highs for him and better compared stats compared to what he did in 9 years with the Islanders, I say that was a career year for him.

 

[LeafsNation75]

I could have sworn Ryan won something else John has never won but it's slipping my mind at the moment.

Since I actually mentioned O'Reilly winning the Conn Smythe last year obviously I know he won the Stanley Cup.

 

[Regal]

If I was trying to have a bias I would have never mentioned O'Reilly winning the Conn Smythe and had I remembered he won the Selke Trophy in 2019 I would have also included that. Besides that tell me what I said that wasn't true about both players?

Since those 47 goals and 88 points Tavares got during the 2018-19 season for Toronto was new season highs for him and better compared stats compared to what he did in 9 years with the Islanders, I say that was a career year for him.

And you'd be wrong. League scoring going up makes his totals less impressive. His career year was when he finished 2nd in points, 3rd in Hart voting and was the 1st team center in '15, instead of 16th in points, 7th in center voting and received an insignificant amount of Hart votes.

 

[LeafsNation75]

And you'd be wrong. League scoring going up makes his totals less impressive. His career year was when he finished 2nd in points, 3rd in Hart voting and was the 1st team center in '15, instead of 16th in points, 7th in center voting and received an insignificant amount of Hart votes.

The 2014-15 season was Tavares previous best season when he had 38 goals, 48 assists and 86 points.

The 2018-19 season when he played in Toronto was better stats wise since his new career high in goals was 47 and points was 88.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

‘Now the one thing O'Reilly has over Tavares was winning the Conn Smythe in 2019 for the Blues.’

What an incredibly biased OP! O’Reilly has a number of things over Tavares, not just a Conn Smythe. He hits more and is a far better defender. He’s Selke level. If you’re going to create a poll on the main boards at least make the OP somewhat fair and balanced.

 

[Regal]

The 2014-15 season was Tavares previous best season when he had 38 goals, 48 assists and 86 points.

The 2018-19 season when he played in Toronto was better stats wise since his new career high in goals was 47 and points was 88.

I'm perfectly aware of that. It still wasn't a career season, as I made clear

 

[LeafsNation75]

‘Now the one thing O'Reilly has over Tavares was winning the Conn Smythe in 2019 for the Blues.’

What an incredibly biased OP! O’Reilly has a number of things over Tavares, not just a Conn Smythe. He hits more and is a far better defender. He’s Selke level. If you’re going to create a poll on the main boards at least make the OP somewhat fair and balanced.

I honestly forgot that O'Reilly won the Selke last year and was a finalist for it again this year. Like I said before if I remembered that I would have included it in the OP. Besides that tell me what else I said that was not accurate?

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I honestly forgot that O'Reilly won the Selke last year and was a finalist for it again this year. Like I said before if I remembered that I would have included it in the OP. Besides that tell me what else I said that was not accurate?

Your OP read like it was written by a hardcore Leaf fan trying to promote your Leaf and downgrade O’Reilly.
You left out that O’Reilly is a much better defender and hits more and you only looked at areas where Tavares is better.
If you didn’t remember that O’Reilly won a Selke then maybe you shouldn’t be making polls that include non Leaf players. Any one making a poll should do a little research on both players instead of just promoting their own player. And even if you forgot that O’Reilly won a Selke you should have still mentioned that he’s generally viewed as an elite defensive center while Tavares is not. That would be more balanced than just posting offensive stats.
To be clear I think either pick can be defended here.

 

[82Ninety42011]

ROR as the contract is way better and he will age better in the role he has. Tavares yes is more offensive for sure but he will slow down as he already showed this season as he gets older. ROR's game is more defensive and positioning and though even he will slow down I don't feel it will affect his game as much as Tavares's. Take away the contract it's Tavares right now though.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

ROR is the better player today. There was a time Tavares would be the pick here. But it isn't now. ROR has elevated his stature substantially when the Blues won the Cup last year, he also won one of the most coveted trophies in hockey, the Conn Smythe. Tavares has one play off series win in a 10 year career.

ROR's defensive game and metrics are far better than Tavares this season and as evidenced by his Selke nomination and GA60 stats. ROR also has an edge in production of 61 pts to 60 pts abeit he has played in 8 more games. But I see the production as similar. Tavares is showing signs that his best years may be behind him.

When you look at both players production and then factor in that ROR gives up almost a goal and a half less per 60 5v5, it makes a substantial statement who is a better 2 way player. Tavares if he is playing to his norm is about a mid 7o's point player, but his defensive metrics have been in steady decline 3 of his last 4 years.

ROR 5v5 GA60 1.95
Tavares 5v5 GA60 3.34

At this stage of their careers, and how it is trending, I would take O'Reilly with contracts not even being a factor. With contracts, it's a no brainer.