Tavares Discussion Thread

[Stephen]

The way you mentioned how Spezza was good tonight, he also took their 3rd penalty leading to another Pittsburgh goal against and by that time they were 0/2 on the penalty kill.

I'm not saying Spezza was especially good, just if you compared him to Tavares, you'd be certain Tavares was the dumpster dive 36 year old on a league minimum.

 

[Future]

The way you mentioned how Spezza was good tonight, he also took their 3rd penalty leading to another Pittsburgh goal against and by that time they were 0/2 on the penalty kill.

And what did Tavares do tonight?

 

[LeafsNation75]

And what did Tavares do tonight?

Like I said before the whole team wasn't good tonight and that includes Tavares.

 

[LeafsNation75]

 

[Nithoniniel]

It really says something when Jason Spezza is the one ragging the puck, diving to clear the puck, creating scoring chances, scoring goals, looking pissed and Tavares looks like the 36 year old on the $700,000 one year deal.

Spezza, Muzzin, Clifford, and Matthews all played like the game was pissing them off in just the right way.

For better or worse, Tavares is not that kind of guy. I don't think that's by itself a bad thing either. He could easily be the leader of a team that answers adversity by adhering to the process, not letting any negative emotions get in the way of that. If you look at some of the others, their character isn't in itself an issue either. Nylander is aloof, I don't think he'll ever take lead as a solution to situations like these, but at the same time I don't think they affect him as much either. Not sure what to make of Marner to be honest, he's usually a bit in between Matthews and Tavares there, but I found him to respond in an almost petulant way tonight. It's the aggregate of the mixture of personalities in the room, I think.

Anyway, I feel like good teams tend to rally around some of these qualities. Some strong teams rally around the fire and pride, like Boston does as we so well know, others by just being unfazed, like LA used to or Blues did last year. The Leafs are just scattered in that way. We can have three shifts in a row where the players try to answer in three different ways.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Spezza, Muzzin, Clifford, and Matthews all played like the game was pissing them off in just the right way.

For better or worse, Tavares is not that kind of guy. I don't think that's by itself a bad thing either. He could easily be the leader of a team that answers adversity by adhering to the process, not letting any negative emotions get in the way of that. If you look at some of the others, their character isn't in itself an issue either. Nylander is aloof, I don't think he'll ever take lead as a solution to situations like these, but at the same time I don't think they affect him as much either. Not sure what to make of Marner to be honest, he's usually a bit in between Matthews and Tavares there, but I found him to respond in an almost petulant way tonight. It's the aggregate of the mixture of personalities in the room, I think.

Anyway, I feel like good teams tend to rally around some of these qualities. Some strong teams rally around the fire and pride, like Boston does as we so well know, others by just being unfazed, like LA used to or Blues did last year. The Leafs are just scattered in that way. We can have three shifts in a row where the players try to answer in three different ways.

To be fair we don't know what Tavares says behind closed doors, because it's not often we see him talk like this in front of the cameras.

 

[MapleLeafs77]

Tavares has been brutal this year honestly. Sure he is getting points but he has been awful to the eye test. He is so slow.

If we were to trade one of the big four, then I am looking at john first.

 

[BAM]

If the Kings call in the off-season and offer Doughty for Tavares would Dubas take it? I would. Sure you don't really save any money but it shifts around where the money is going to and fills the Leafs most important need.

 

[nivisi6]

I cannot get over how brutal of a skater he is..

It makes him look so ordinary and non-impactful

why is he so god damn slow?

 

[tmlfan98]

Pretty bad choice for captain considering he's a bot. Still elated about the signing though.

 

[DanM]

I cannot get over how brutal of a skater he is..

It makes him look so ordinary and non-impactful

why is he so god damn slow?

Honestly, he was not this bad last year. I wouldn't be surprised if he is nursing some sort of nagging injury.

I love JT as a player, and when somebody like him becomes available you do it, but something is off for sure.

You cannot trade him though. You do that and you never sign a UFA ever again. No player will respect that.

 

[Duffman955]

Why does Spezza look like our captain more than Tavares does?

 

[LeafsNation75]

If the Kings call in the off-season and offer Doughty for Tavares would Dubas take it? I would. Sure you don't really save any money but it shifts around where the money is going to and fills the Leafs most important need.

I would not and since both of them have NMC in their contracts chances are either one would say no be trading for each other.

 

[Stephen]

If the Kings call in the off-season and offer Doughty for Tavares would Dubas take it? I would. Sure you don't really save any money but it shifts around where the money is going to and fills the Leafs most important need.

Doughty is a far superior player to Tavares and always has been. One of the great defensemen of the era, has won everything and would probably have some unkind, leadership-y words of wisdom for our remaining Big 3.

 

[Stephen]

Why does Spezza look like our captain more than Tavares does?

Between Tavares and Spezza, I suppose we have two $6 million centermen, and on any given night one is better than the other.

 

[Papa Cherry]

Pretty bad choice for captain considering he's a bot. Still elated about the signing though.

Talks like a bot, but snipes goals like the terminator.

 

[TopCheese]

Honestly the time to trade Tavares is this offseason. He is only going to get slower. Two years from now I wouldn’t be surprised if he is a 50pt player with 3 more years left at 11 mil... yikes. Trade him now for a younger defensive responsible 2C

 

[LeafsNation75]

Honestly the time to trade Tavares is this offseason. He is only going to get slower. Two years from now I wouldn’t be surprised if he is a 50pt player with 3 more years left at 11 mil... yikes. Trade him now for a younger defensive responsible 2C

That's not a good idea trading him only 2 years into a 7 year contract and 1 season after he's named the captain. He's not turning into David Clarkson with how you are describing him.

 

[PhiladelphiaKessel]

We are stuck with him, for better or worse. He has a no move clause and was just named captain

 

[CelticDruid]

I cannot get over how brutal of a skater he is..

It makes him look so ordinary and non-impactful

why is he so god damn slow?

Blue balls?

 

[CelticDruid]

Hot garbage on the first PP.

Swap Spezza and Tavares around on the PP units.

 

[Gabriel426]

Spezza, Muzzin, Clifford, and Matthews all played like the game was pissing them off in just the right way.

For better or worse, Tavares is not that kind of guy. I don't think that's by itself a bad thing either. He could easily be the leader of a team that answers adversity by adhering to the process, not letting any negative emotions get in the way of that. If you look at some of the others, their character isn't in itself an issue either. Nylander is aloof, I don't think he'll ever take lead as a solution to situations like these, but at the same time I don't think they affect him as much either. Not sure what to make of Marner to be honest, he's usually a bit in between Matthews and Tavares there, but I found him to respond in an almost petulant way tonight. It's the aggregate of the mixture of personalities in the room, I think.

Anyway, I feel like good teams tend to rally around some of these qualities. Some strong teams rally around the fire and pride, like Boston does as we so well know, others by just being unfazed, like LA used to or Blues did last year. The Leafs are just scattered in that way. We can have three shifts in a row where the players try to answer in three different ways.

Great point. I think that’s the culture Leafs is missing. That’s also something Lou brought in but seemed to fade away once he left. I think more vets coming in will no doubt help. Guys like AJ, Kerfoot and Kap, would even say Goat, Engvall, Soup and Tima are all the same. Some just have more speed than other. The bottom 6 needs more fire. I remember listening to the radio in Vancouver and they talked about Roussel, and what he brings. They were saying when the team was struggling or nothing is going in a game he would tell the kids, watch and learn what I am going to do, I am going to start something on the next shift. He missed a hit but was chirping the other team the whole shift. It didn’t fire the team right away but they did started playing better and made the game close. That’s something the kids need on the Leafs. They got Clifford and they just need one more.

 

[saffronleaf]

Honestly the time to trade Tavares is this offseason. He is only going to get slower. Two years from now I wouldn’t be surprised if he is a 50pt player with 3 more years left at 11 mil... yikes. Trade him now for a younger defensive responsible 2C

we can probably get a Kerfoot + Barrie type return if we retain 25%

 

[Dekes For Days]

Doughty is a far superior player to Tavares and always has been. One of the great defensemen of the era, has won everything and would probably have some unkind, leadership-y words of wisdom for our remaining Big 3.

A classic example of the grass is always greener. Players on other teams are boosted up with unrealistic perceptions.

Doughty is not the same player he was 5 years ago, and he is in no way a better player than Tavares. He would get absolutely demolished and torn apart in this market. Doughty also isn't the type of personality this team needs at all.

He's as much LA's problem as he is their solution right now.

 

[LeafsNation75]