Despite all the changes this season, John Tavares is on pace for a career year offensively. And yet the 28-year-old still doesn't quite feel like himself.
"I’m thinking the game a lot more than being instinctive just because of being in a new environment," the centre explained. "But as the year's gone on so far that’s obviously gotten a lot better and I feel a lot more comfortable."
Tavares said it’s helped that he’s started all but one game with the same wingers: Zach Hyman and Mitch Marner. That’s important, because there are subtle changes he needed to get used to.
"You know, even playing with Hyms and Mitch, they’re both righties," the left-shooting Tavares noted. "I played with two lefties the last couple years so just even things like that takes time to get used to and get a feel for. And then their style of play and what not. It’s hard to complain, but I still feel like I have a lot of room for growth and to get better and get comfortable and feel like myself."
From the moment he met with the Leafs in the free-agent process, Tavares wanted the opportunity to play with Marner and so far they have looked cohesive on the ice. But Marner is a special talent, especially the way he thinks the game, and they still aren’t close to reaching their maximum potential.
"The last couple years I played basically the whole year with Josh Bailey, who's got a tremendous sense of poise and vision himself, but they’re just different," Tavares explained. "The way they see the ice is different, the way they deliver the puck, the way they attack the opponents is different. So, I think it’s just getting a sense of how he does it and that timing of trying to be available and get a sense of when he is able to find the passing lane or his ability to kind of slow it down and then speed it up or just things like that. It’s just getting a sense of how he creates his opportunities, how he creates his time and space."
Tavares has racked up 10 goals and nine assists through 17 games putting him on pace for 48 goals and 92 points. His career highs are 38 goals and 86 points in the 2014-15 season.
