What to expect from John Tavares this season; a healthy JT should exceed all expectations
John Tavares has received lots of criticism over the past 18 months for being too slow and not producing enough, but when the Leafs needed him in round 1 against Tampa, he showed up. While the criticism on his skating and speed is fair, Tavares has said that he has focused on getting faster this off-season. That is much easier to do and train for when he doesn't have to recover from a concussion and other injuries that have hindered his off-seasons the past couple years.
Tavares managed to put up 76 points in 79 games last season and finished with a respectable 27 goals as well. For all the criticism he took last year about his production, he was still almost a point-per-game player and was one of just 20 players to register at least 25 goals, 75 points, 25 powerplay points and record 230 shots on goal last season. He accomplished that while playing on the Leafs' second line that was only two-thirds complete, with William Nylander and a rotating cast of left wingers.
The Leafs need to find a winger that can play with Tavares and Nylander, preferably another Michael Bunting type player that can create some space to let the more offensively gifted Tavares and Nylander work their magic. Perhaps newly signed Nicolas Aube-Kubel could provide the energy and space that Bunting does for Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. If the Leafs choose to use Aube-Kubel in a checking role, maybe the time has come for sharpshooter Nick Robertson to finally have a lengthened shot skating along side the pair. He doesn't provide the bulldozer mentality that Aube-Kubel does, but he is just as tenacious on the puck and could offset Tavares' lack of speed on the forecheck. Another option is 30-year-old Calle Jarnkrok - a solid forechecker with excellent defensive instincts and underrated finishing abilities.
Multiple fantasy hockey websites have projected Tavares' point total this season between 71 and 79 points, which is still a very productive season for the 32-year-old. The difference for Tavares will be puck luck and finding a consistent left winger so that he and Nylander can actually build chemistry with them the same way Matthews and Marner built chemistry with Bunting. A full of season of only training and no rehab and recovery will do Tavares wonders as well.
I'm projecting an 80+ point season with at least 30 goals. A healthy John Tavares is a scary 2C and if he can lead the league in puck battles won coming off of a concussion and a knee injury against the Habs, imagine what he'll be able to accomplish completely unimpeded in his offseason training.
| POLL | ||
4 SEPTEMBRE | 502 ANSWERS What to expect from John Tavares this season; a healthy JT should exceed all expectations Will John Tavares exceed 80 points this season? | ||
| Yes | 284 | 56.6 % |
| No | 218 | 43.4 % |
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