Quick Shifts: Can Maple Leafs actually improve on John Tavares?

A fast mixture of the issues we gleaned from the week of hockey, severe and fewer so, and rolling 4 traces deep. Welcome to the pillow struggle of opinion columns.

1. When Auston Matthews’ season ended early and in crumpled agony, the Toronto Maple Leafs had been dropping one other sport, what was monitoring to be their ninth in row.

John Tavares scored 39 seconds later to tie the Anaheim Ducks. 

Since that second, the Leafs have gone a good 4-2-2 underneath the 35-year-old’s unplanned promotion to top-line centre, and solely a type of eight video games was waged in opposition to one other crew out of the race. (Much to the dismay of Tank Nation, however that story shouldn’t be this story.)

A less-sheltered, much-busier Tavares has piled up 9 factors in these eight contests. The eldest Leaf on the roster was integral to the crew’s first back-to-back wins since January, hanging three assists in Boston Tuesday and sniping the winner off the frenzy and off the iron previous Igor Shesterkin Wednesday.

“My role has been to create offence, put the puck in the net,” Tavares instructed reporters. “Anytime you can beat Shesterkin clean, you feel pretty happy.”

Despite the courageous face, uncommon are the post-game conferences the place Tavares has seemed genuinely comfortable this yr. 

Yes, he’s rushing his approach up the NHL’s all-time lists in targets (520, passing Dale Hawerchuk for forty first total) and factors (1,170, leaping Bobby Hull for 58th), however probabilities to hoist the Stanley Cup — or, heck, style a convention closing — are vanishing within the rearview. 

“It’s obviously difficult when we’re not playing the way we’re capable of and we’re in the position we’re in. But I just try to approach it one day at a time and appreciate the opportunity to play with the guys in the locker room,” says Tavares, protecting it elegant. 

“There’s no doubt it’s not where we want to be. But every night is a great opportunity to play in the National Hockey League, and I’ll never take that for granted.”

Fans could be smart to not take Tavares with no consideration, both.

In this gong present of a season, his seventeenth, Tavares is the one Leaf with excellent attendance. Wednesday’s successful purpose, No. 26, vaulted him forward of prime William Nylander in targets; his subsequent will match Matthews (27) for the membership lead.

A typical cry from these outdoors Leafs HQ is that the ageing Tavares, who was by no means accused of being fleet of foot, should transfer to 3C or the wing. And perhaps that day will arrive.

But if you survey the league’s second-line centres, you’d be hard-pressed to seek out 10 extra productive and sturdy than 2026 Tavares, not to mention 32. And that’s earlier than factoring within the veteran’s new team-friendly wage.

Here’s a listing of one of the best second-line centres based mostly on this season’s efficiency:

Leon Draisaitl, Oilers, 35 targets, 115 factors, 56.9 per cent faceoffs, $14 million 

Brock Nelson, A-Z Eventz, 32 targets, 58 factors, 50.7 per cent faceoffs, $7.5 million

Mitch Marner, Golden Knights, 19 targets, 70 factors, 40.7 per cent faceoffs, $12 million 

John Tavares, Maple Leafs, 26 targets, 61 factors, 57.5 per cent faceoffs, $4.4 million cap hit

Nico Hischier, Devils, 26 targets, 55 factors, 55.3 per cent faceoffs, $7.25 million

Anton Lundell, Panthers, 18 targets, 44 factors, 51.8 per cent faceoffs, $5 million 

Vincent Trocheck, Rangers, 15 targets, 48 factors, 56.6 per cent faceoffs, $5.6 million

Roope Hintz, Stars, 15 targets, 44 factors, 59.1 per cent faceoffs, $8.45 million

Could Toronto’s GM take an opportunity and cross his fingers on a youthful choice? No doubt.

Try to pry away a defensive specialist by way of commerce? Sure. 

Shell out for a middle-six, two-way UFA veteran like Charlie Coyle or Kevin Hayes? We suppose.

But a mix of Tavares’s dependability, knack for the web and faceoff prowess? Unless you’re keen to pay the Blues a ransom for Robert Thomas, or outbid a number of groups for Trocheck, good luck. (No purchaser met these asking costs on the deadline.)

Two Saturdays in the past, the Leafs discovered Matthews was completed. We spoke to Toronto’s former captain in Buffalo. He sounded each bit like a person who understood the task, who was able to step up. To briefly bend his A again to a C.

“I know I have experience in the area, so if there’s any anything I feel that’s necessary to help the team or things to address or to deal with, talk to the officials, all those little things, I’ll do it,” Tavares mentioned. 

“But it’s not me trying to go out there and be Auston. I think that’s pretty evident. I just got to go out there and play my game and do what I can to help the team and try to lead in the right way.”

2. Ernie Clement and George Springer paid a go to to the Maple Leafs dressing room Wednesday, watched warmups close to the glass, mistakenly sat down the place their tickets weren’t, then root, root, rooted for the house crew in a win over the New York Rangers. 

“Nice to have them support us, because we certainly love watching them,” Jake McCabe instructed reporters.

Tavares cherished seeing the Blue Jays prove to assist, as anticipation for springtime lies at reverse ends of the spectrum for these two Toronto groups.

“What they did for the city last year and what they’re hoping to do this year and the excitement everyone has for them — including us,” Tavares mentioned. “We love supporting them, and it was unreal taking in their run.” 

This misplaced marketing campaign for Toronto’s hockey membership has come full circle. Their October struggles slipped underneath the shadow of a World Series run 32 years within the making. And now the Leafs skating out within the string in late March and April might be soothed, by most native sports activities followers, due to extra Jays hype.

We consider how the Maple Leafs, struggling to get linked, attended the Jays’ playoff run and tried to glean classes from their baseball brethren’s Game 7 devastation.

“It was heartbreaking. But I think as a fan —and certainly I can speak for a lot of people around the city — the fan base is extremely proud of the type of team,” Tavares mentioned, shortly after the L.A. Dodgers left city with the crown.

“The huge emphasis is what a crew that was. And the contributions from all people, and the way all of them relied on one another. I believe you actually noticed how shut they had been and the way they laid all of it on the market.

“Which is probably why it stings and hurts so much, because of how close they were, how well they played, and just how they laid it all on the line. But just a great team overall.” 

In early November, an optimistic Craig Berube agreed: “It’s camaraderie, good teammates. I think it’s just guys who look forward to coming to the locker room, being around the rink, and being around each other. We have that.”

3. ’Tis the season of change.

Never has the NHL welcomed eight contemporary playoff groups to the match. But this yr? We’re saying there’s an opportunity.

Out west, three golf equipment that didn’t qualify for the dance in 2025 are poised for the large transfer: the Pacific-leading Ducks, look-like-a-lock Mammoth and all of the sudden surging Predators.

The East is much more fascinating, because the Sabres, Blue Jackets, Penguins, Bruins, Islanders and Red Wings have all busted expectations in a great way. They all have a shot.

Even if 5 of these six make it, we could possibly be witnessing the league’s best year-over-year post-season turnover ever. (Those pesky Senators have a giant say on this, nevertheless.)

On 4 events, the NHL has seen seven new playoff groups, and in a type of seasons (2016-17), the Eastern Conference bracket featured 5 new entries.

But this could possibly be uncharted territory.

As each the two-time Stanley Cup champion Panthers and Presidents’ Trophy–proudly owning Jets tumble down the standings, we might nicely bear in mind 2025-26 because the star of Gary Bettman’s parity occasion.

“It’s a bit of a pillow fight.” — Connor McDavid, on the Pacific Division race, now led by Anaheim (.592 factors proportion)

5. It was solely October when the Edmonton Oilers inked back-to-back Stanley Cup finalist Kris Knoblauch to a three-year extension. 

Yet of all the pinnacle coaches set to information their golf equipment into the post-season, we are able to’t consider anybody feeling extra warmth.

But listening to McDavid gush about his nationwide coach, Jon Cooper, after Nikita Kucherov and the Lightning outclassed the Oilers in their very own barn Saturday was one thing else.

“They got a great system. They’re perfectly coached. They all know what they’re doing all over the ice. It’s impressive. They are a great team,” McDavid mentioned.

“They’re extraordinarily nicely coached they’re extraordinarily nicely organized. They’re very, very rehearsed in all the things that they do. It’s very spectacular. And if you do break them down, they received a heck of a goalie to backstop them.

“We’ve been playing together a long time, and we feel like we’re somewhat rehearsed and organized, but not to their level.”

Yes, McDavid is underneath contract for 2 extra seasons past this one. But you may really feel him feeling time is operating out. 

Tristan Jarry is underneath contract all through McDavid’s dedication. So are the Oilers’ 4 highest-paid D-men. So are McDavid’s most reliable mates up entrance: Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Vasily Podkolzin.

Comparing Knoblauch to two-time Cup winner and future Hall of Famer Cooper isn’t fairly truthful. Neither is coaches dropping jobs due to poor goaltending.

Still, if McDavid & Co. can’t go on a great rip this spring, Knoblauch — who was not employed by his boss, Stan Bowman — will fall underneath intense scrutiny. 

Maybe that’s not truthful contemplating his regular-season .623 factors proportion and 6-2 playoff sequence file. But Bowman might be restricted in his potential to reshape and resell the dream to 97.

If I’m Pete DeBoer, I’m not committing to something till the Cup is handed out.

6. Speaking of Cooper, the NHL’s longest-tenured bench boss gave an amazing interview on final weekend’s After Hours. Worth a watch:

One nugget caught my ear, in gentle of Doug Armstrong stepping down as Team Canada’s normal supervisor.

We don’t know Armstrong’s successor simply but, and the best-on-best males’s squad gained’t compete till the 2028 World Cup, however the brand new GM will want a head coach. No ensures there.

Cooper desires to improve his Olympic silver to gold in 2030, so he made his early pitch.

“My fear of losing overrides my thrill of winning. I hate to lose,” Cooper mentioned. 

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in four more years, but I’d love nothing more than another shot at that.”

7. The Hurricanes’ admin isn’t any stranger to savagery, however this put up after final Friday’s 4-3 time beyond regulation win in Toronto was subsequent stage:

8. What an odd dichotomy in how we view particular person hockey success.

Our heroes are very a lot tied to playoff and championship glory.

Jack Hughes immortalized himself final month. Every Canadian of a sure age is aware of the title Paul Henderson. Events of the previous two Junes put any query of Sergei Bobrovsky’s Hall of Fame worthiness to mattress. 

How these athletes rise (or shrink) in winner-take-all contests looms paramount in legacy.

And but, Alex Ovechkin turning into solely the second participant in historical past to file 1,000 NHL targets within the common season and playoffs mixed feels very very similar to a footnote this week. His encore? Hat trick No. 34.

The Gr8 Chase™ for Wayne Gretzky’s regular-season targets file was a two-year-long occasion involving a mid-game ceremony and items and extra press than a Cuban sandwich store.

Rather quietly, Gretzky (1,016) stays the all-time purpose chief if you add all these post-season pucks.

That file doesn’t appear to matter a lot to the typical fan.

Question is: does it matter to Ovechkin, a 40-year-old impending free agent who has been noncommittal on his future however will doubtless must signal on for yet one more season to take that title from 99 too?

9. As a enterprise, the NHL has taken many a cue from the NBA: ads on jerseys, celebrating the 50/100 best gamers of all time on all-star weekend and a fixed-bracket playoff format, to call a number of.

But give Bettman’s workplace credit score for breaking floor on 32-team growth by bringing hockey franchises to Las Vegas and Seattle. I’m not a fan of watered-down product, however as a money-making enterprise, these are clear wins.

Now, the NBA is following the NHL’s profitable path to these cities, even when the worth tag reminds the monetary discrepancy between the leagues. (TremendousSonics 2.0 gotta be the brand new Winnipeg Jets 2.0, proper?)

Sidenote: Las Vegas securing groups within the NHL, NFL and NBA all inside a decade is wild. And baseball is coming quickly, too.

There are sound the explanation why Knies (20 targets) hasn’t matched the 29 targets of his platform marketing campaign. 

Auston Matthews isn’t the one top-line Maple Leaf pressured to regulate to life with out setup man Mitch Marner. Knies has been hampered by knee ailment for months. And a disappointing power-play and the overall dropping has taken a toll throughout the board.

But if you see Knies rating a short-handed purpose just like the one he did Tuesday at TD Garden, and also you understand he has already set new profession highs in assists (39) and factors (59), nicely… vendor beware.

Because Knies, 23, has been round for some time and he’s the most important Maple Leaf not named Anthony Stolarz, you may neglect he’s additionally the second-youngest (to rookie Easton Cowan) participant to swimsuit up for the crew this season.

“His ability to just be so strong and just how physically mature he is, he’s a beast and a very unique player at his age to have that type of strength, and then after that to have the soft hands and the poise and touch to score a beauty like that,” Tavares says. 

“He’s got a nice package as a player. We’re obviously very lucky to have him.”

And silly to let him go for something wanting a king’s ransom.

11. By each measure however one, the Ottawa Senators are superior to the Detroit Red Wings, with whom they’re combating tooth and nail for a playoff berth.

The Red Wings are getting common goaltending, with a crew save proportion of .894, whereas the Sens rank lifeless final within the class (.874).

If Linus Ullmark and James Reimer can combine in a number of extra saves for Travis Green, the worthy hockey crew ought to make the dance — and the nerds proud.

Bad information: Ottawa must see playoff motion for Thomas Chabot (damaged arm) to play once more this season.

Good information: Jake Sanderson (shoulder) is now touring with the membership.

12. Best factor I discovered this week comes courtesy of the venerable Gene Principe.

Comedian and famous Bruins fan Bill Burr turned mates with Paul Coffey as a result of the defenceman began chirping him at a Mario Lemieux charity occasion, and Burr responded by insulting Coffey’s outfit. They exchanged insults for 20 minutes.

“That’s Paul,” somebody instructed Burr.

“I looked at him like, ‘Is that Paul Coffey?’” Burr mentioned.