Tavares

[Sweet Leaf]

I think he really showed yesterday night and the practices/media scrums leading up to it why he's John Tavares.

In response to losing two games, he was saying he had to focus on all the small things that go into winning. So he comes out yesterday night and beasts everywhere doing all the mucking and grinding you'd expect from a 3rd liner. I heard a pundit earlier today talking about how he is like Crosby in that way. Those guys love to do all the dirty work where most stars won't. They live to be the hardest working guys out there in spite of their star status.

He played a great defensive game yesterday. He was stripping pucks and disrupting play in all zones last night. He was beasting on the boards.

I knew JT was a star player. I knew he was money in the Ozone from the dots on down. I did not know he brought the lunch pail like this and battled over every inch 0f ice like he does. When your stars are the hardest working guys you're in a good position.

Also, put the damn C on him already.

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[Stephen]

He's a lot like a poor man's Crosby in that he brings a high skill level to a very grit grinder kind of game. You won't see him really dance around and make beautiful plays all the time, but he seems to be constantly driving to the dirty areas and trying to move the play towards the goal line.

 

[Jozay]

Tavares is great.

Matthews is getting the C.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Class act and amazing player
Lucky to have him

 

[MapleLeafs77]

Tavares is great.

Matthews is getting the C.

Yeah tavares is great but i think watching this year so far....matthews is another level.

This is matthews’ team. He deserves the C

 

[GoldenGOOSE]

The guy is literally a BEAST. He trains all the time with trainers to become more beastly. Guys draped on his back, chopping him etc... He has done it for years. And..... we have the amazing result.

 

[Morbo]

yeah the guy is just an awesome player.

he's so strong on the puck, tremendous short passer, great scorer in tight, terrific on the boards.

very good 1 on 1 player, wins a lot of battles.

great story that he's with the team he wanted to be on all along. it's too bad that the Isles fans had to get hurt for this to happen.

 

[Gabriel426]

yeah the guy is just an awesome player.

he's so strong on the puck, tremendous short passer, great scorer in tight, terrific on the boards.

very good 1 on 1 player, wins a lot of battles.

great story that he's with the team he wanted to be on all along. it's too bad that the Isles fans had to get hurt for this to happen.

Here is the thing I don’t get, at least the impression I got from the Isles forum, they seem to be okay if he signed with the Sharks but just not the Leafs. That’s why I don’t feel sorry for them at all.
To me, you should feel the same.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Yeah tavares is great but i think watching this year so far....matthews is another level.

This is matthews’ team. He deserves the C

Matthews has a higher ceiling as a player, but at this stage of their careers, I'd prefer Tavares as the captain of my team.

 

[TimeZone]

He's had a few shifts this year that reminded me of one of my all time favorites, Forsberg. Definitely has a gritty element to his game, more so than I realized.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Who is the better player, Mats Sundin or John Tavares?

 

[Al14]

Tavares is great.

Matthews is getting the C.

Until Matthews signs long term, at a bit of a discount, no C for him!

 

[Al14]

Who is the better player, Mats Sundin or John Tavares?

Right now, it has to be Sundin, as Tavares is only half way through his career.

Unlike Sundin, however, it looks like Tavares will be surrounded by a great group of star core players. Well, that is if they keep their salary demands sensible, unlike what Nylander is doing at the moment.

 

[Havoc]

Who is the better player, Mats Sundin or John Tavares?

Sundin easy.

 

[Stephen]

Matthews looks like the more alpha center than Tavares, which is a ridiculous luxury to have.

 

[Notsince67]

Matthews looks like the more alpha center than Tavares, which is a ridiculous luxury to have.

Playoffs will be a tell all. May the best man win

 

[93LEAFS]

Tavares has always been a guy who focuses on winning battles down low and being in the right places at the right time. Its how at points in his career he's finished top 3 in Hart voting despite lacking a something like an Ovechkin/Stamkos shot, McDavid's speed, Getzlaf's size and strength on the puck or Joe Thornton's crisp vision and passing. There is no one elite skill people point to with Tavares outside of his IQ, he's an average to sub-par skater, has a good but not great shot, and has good vision and passing. In many way's Sid is like that just with better natural abilities (but nothing that immediately stands out like traits of certain stars) and all world passing vision. Where Tavares excels is just knowing where the play is heading and outworking guys down-low. In many ways, Matthews is the same way as JT, but with notably better skating, bigger and a better shot, Tavares has shown to be a better passer over the years, but Matthews has always been relied upon as the finisher wherever he's been.

It should be noted, that JT, Matthews, and Crosby all use Daryl Belfry as a private consultant/skill coach.

 

[frizzer1]

I always noticed Stamkos when he played here.....flying down the ice, unleashing that devastating one timer.
I never really noticed tavares....he didn't stand out at all.
Until I heard the public address announcer saying his name after a goal.

 

[moon111]

The 'C' is like anything else. You have to earn it. Way too early for a decision yet.

 

[Canada4Gold]

What would the NHL do if a team went out to a game unannounced with 3 guys wearing C's? Just curious. Give one to Matthews, Tavares, and Rielly and see what happens

 

[Sweet Leaf]

Who is the better player, Mats Sundin or John Tavares?

Tough comparison.

Sundin was probably the better 200 foot player. Way better skater. Way more dangerous off the rush.

JT is probably the best player in the world not named Sydney Crosby in the OZone below the dots. Better than Sundin. Elite hand/eye. Better net front. Better instincts.

To use a basketball comparison, JT reminds me of an awesome post up big man in Basketball. Get it to him down low and let him get to work. Sundin was more of a guy who runs the floor.

 

[Sweet Leaf]

Tavares has always been a guy who focuses on winning battles down low and being in the right places at the right time. Its how at points in his career he's finished top 3 in Hart voting despite lacking a something like an Ovechkin/Stamkos shot, McDavid's speed, Getzlaf's size and strength on the puck or Joe Thornton's crisp vision and passing. .

Tavares has freakish eye/hand. Part of the same gene pool that made his uncle one of the best Lacrosse players of all time. Just look at all the pucks he knocks out of he air and also why he cleans up everything in the crease.

I think he plays the same game Crosby does but he can't skate near as well.

 

[Zybalto]

Pretty quiet 7 goals and 13 points in 11 games so far eh?

 

[Gallagbi]

Pretty quiet 7 goals and 13 points in 11 games so far eh?

He's always been a quiet player

 

[Albz]

Love the guy! He seems humble and he cares alot about winning. Same thing with Kadri! Hes such a good speaker and always love when he gets interviewd! Guy makes you excited about the team!