John Tavares

[TorMapleJays]

He's not an Islanders fan. He's a former Leafs fan who was banished from here, became a Jets fan when the talk was Matthews vs Laine, and joined the Isles group when Tavares signed in Toronto. Check the Boston boards when the playoffs start, he'll be a Bruins fan.

I wish my dating life was that exciting

 

[Trapper]

It's impossible for me to have a favourite player who isn't a Toronto Maple Leaf. That would suggest that I have chosen to be a Toronto Maple Leafs' fan. I've tried to force myself to become a fan of a team (Green Bay in the NFL - before Brett Favre, Buffalo when they seemed ticketed to Toronto) but it wouldn't permanently take. I don't know how it's done.

Between Sundin and Marner it was pretty difficult for me.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Can't wait to see him in the playoffs wearing a Leaf jersey.

He may or may not be some kind of android, but he's a hell of a hockey player.

I’m very excited. I don’t think he was ever given the opportunity to truly shine in the playoffs. He has that chance now. Depending on how performs in the playoffs during his time here, he has the opportunity to turn into an all-time hockey great.

 

[RLF]

Solid, all around player. Does everything well really. I would suspect he is listened to off the ice as well when he speaks.

 

[Pi]

We don't pay him 11 million dollars to score 45 goals. It is embarrassing.

He better overtake Ovechkin or I'll be seriously worried about this contract.

 

[Pi]

If things go how I expect them to go by the end of this upcoming weekend the Leafs might just send the Toronto Marlies on that road trip to New York.

I don't think so. Doubt anyone is getting rested down the stretch unless they ask for it. Babcock said that he'll leave that to the playoffs IIRC.

Why rest anyone when we are just finding our game back and getting healthier? These last few games will be a key practice before the playoffs start.

I want pretty much everyone on the team to play against the Habs. It will be a playoff type atmosphere and the Habs will be desperate. What better practice than to face a desperate team right before the playoffs start?

 

[BayStreetBully]

We don't pay him 11 million dollars to score 45 goals. It is embarrassing.

He better overtake Ovechkin or I'll be seriously worried about this contract.

You’d refuse a franchise center? The chance to have 2 franchise centers in the lineup? The chance to have 3 forward superstars in the lineup? Tavares basically lets us compete with the big boys like Tampa and Pittsburgh up front.

What would you have done with that $11 million if you turned your back on Tavares last summer?

 

[zeke]

You’d refuse a franchise center? The chance to have 2 franchise centers in the lineup? The chance to have 3 forward superstars in the lineup? Tavares basically lets us compete with the big boys like Tampa and Pittsburgh up front.

What would you have done with that $11 million if you turned your back on Tavares last summer?

(he's joking)

 

[BayStreetBully]

(he's joking)

Whoops.

 

[nuck]

Former Leaf fan? WTF? lol

Did he switch teams back in the 80s? I knew a guy who switched to Montreal back in the days because the Leafs sucked so bad.

You need to read his Isles posts. He is like some kind of wannabe super villain. "My Islander friends...." and then he slags JT or craftily "outs" a Leafs fan who might be posting on the board as though they are a spy or an enemy I didn't mind him as Interactif, but the hot takes got worse as TWS. I wasn't aware he was banned, I just thought he came up with another name.

 

[Beaumaris]

I love John Tavares. Marner and Matthews may have better peak performance, but JT is our most consistent player on the ice. You never see him string together a couple of bad games.

Consistency is what it’s all about.

 

[phillipmike]

Dreger: Tavares deal 'wasn't as slam dunk' as thought on July 1


John Tavares' first season with the Toronto Maple Leafs has gone about as well as anyone could have hoped, but as TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger said Tuesday, the forward came close to returning to New York Islanders last summer.

Tavares matched his career-high of 86 points on Monday night while netting four goals to improve on his career-best goal total of 45 this season. He signed an eight-year, $88 million contract to join the Maple Leafs on July 1, though Dreger notes that, if not for Tavares stepping into the negotiations, the homecoming almost wasn’t to be.

"There was an interesting back and forth between , [Tavares’ agent] Pat Brisson and, obviously, the Toronto Maple Leafs," Dreger told First Up on TSN Radio 1050 Toronto. "I think Tavares initially wanted one year at $15 million. Just a one-year deal from Toronto, ‘Let’s see if it works or not,’ - that didn't happen. Then they went back and I feel like Toronto offered something around $9.5 or $10 million. Well, that wasn't going to happen. And then, finally, Tavares stepped in to the negotiation and basically told Kyle Dubas, ‘Look, I'll come play for $11 million but I'm not taking less than that. So if there's a deal to be made, then let's get it done. Otherwise, I'm going back to the Islanders.'

"So it wasn't as slam dunk as many of us thought it was on July 1 when it was signed."

In addition to the Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders, Tavares held interviews with the Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning in the lead up to July 1.

Tavares sits second in the NHL in goals this season and 15th in points. His $11 million cap is the second-highest in the league this season behind only Edmonton Oilers centre .

https://www.tsn.ca/dreger-tavares-deal-wasn-t-as-slam-dunk-as-thought-on-july-1-1.1279872

 

[Gary Nylund]

https://www.tsn.ca/dreger-tavares-deal-wasn-t-as-slam-dunk-as-thought-on-july-1-1.1279872

So Dreger says "I think Tavares initially wanted ..."

Is this news? Does anyone care what this guy thinks anymore? Does he have any credibility left at all?

 

[Morbo]

As if he wouldn't have spilled that "inside info" at the time if it was real.

whatever Dreger.

 

[BayStreetBully]

TSN after his 4 goal game:

“Will Tavares get $14 million next y... oh wait, we can’t do it with this one...”

 

[ShaneFalco]

Dreger will be a blogger on Ek's site soon

 

[Trapper]

So Dreger says "I think Tavares initially wanted ..."

Is this news? Does anyone care what this guy thinks anymore? Does he have any credibility left at all?

Tavares didn't sign an 8 year 88 million dollar deal as the article suggests.
At least get the numbers right.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Tavares didn't sign an 8 year 88 million dollar deal as the article suggests.
At least get the numbers right.

LOL.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

We don't pay him 11 million dollars to score 45 goals. It is embarrassing.

He better overtake Ovechkin or I'll be seriously worried about this contract.

I believe there are maybe one or two posters on the entire leaf board that's criticized the Tavares contract. He was a franchise centre ufa in his prime.
It's the dramatic overpayments of our rfa's that upset the reasonable posters.

 

[Cecithepylon]

if nylander and Matthews start clicking a bit more like John and Mitch then I’m gunna be one happy fan

 

[Sweet Leaf]

What has really risen to the forefront as the season has gone on is his playmaking ability which is elite. Earlier in the year, he was scoring many more goals than assists. He had evened that out to (41-41) before last night's game

Neither Hyman and Marner are elite finishers but Tavares has been using his awesome vision and ability to morph his game and now he is finding his teammates and knows their tendencies better and better as the season has gone on. Every game now he is making passes that are Marner like...where I am left saying "wow how does he see that?" And he doesn't even play the half board on the PP which crushes his assist total.

He's going to turn Hyman into an annual 20-30 goal scorer.

 

[Sweet Leaf]

all still true.

Your takes have been horrible on Tavares since the start and they continue.

I'm sure you were telling us last year Nylander was going to be better anyway?

 

[meefer]

In my eyes, Tavares continues to be 'Crosby lite'. Other 'Cs' bring special talents to the table and you can praise them for those specific abilities. McDavid, of course, being a cut above in many respects. But, Tavares, like Crosby, game in and out...effort, strength, determination, confidence, talent, responsibility, skill...he brings it. I don't know if he's the best at anything (in fact I doubt he is the best at anything) but he brings so many qualities to the rink every night I can't help but see Crosby. Every sport has a few players who you respectfully nod your head and say, "that's a Professional", if nothing else, Tavares is a Professional hockey player.

 

[Sweet Leaf]

But, Tavares, like Crosby, game in and out...effort, strength, determination, confidence, talent, responsibility, skill...he brings it. I don't know if he's the best at anything (in fact I doubt he is the best at anything)

He has freakish eye hand coordination. His uncle is the greatest lacrosse player of all time for much the same reason. It runs in the family. Watch some of the tips he makes or even just batting the puck out of the air in the middle of the ice.

He also plays with incredible vision and anticipation. Guys like Matthews may have a lot of physical skills Tavares doesn't, but they don't see the ice like Tavares does.

 

[ACC1224]

It's pretty funny watching Isle fans trip over themselves trying to convince anyone that they are a better team without Tavares.
I think they've invented a new stage of grief.