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John Tavares

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John Tavares
John Tavares (born September 20, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently serving as captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected first overall by the New York Islanders in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, where he spent nine seasons and served as captain for five seasons. His subsequent free agent signing in Toronto was called one of the biggest free agency signings in league history by contemporary pundits. Previously, Tavares competed at the major junior level as a member of the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) before being traded to the London Knights at the 2009 OHL trading deadline along with Michael Del Zotto. Tavares broke into the OHL after gaining "exceptional player" status at age 14, allowing the Generals to select him in the OHL Priority Draft as an underage player in 2005. Tavares was named the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Rookie of the Year in 2006 and CHL Player of the Year in 2007. In 2009, he finished the season with a career total of 215 goals, breaking Peter Lee's OHL record by two. Tavares was the focus of an unsuccessful push to have the NHL's draft rules changed to allow him to participate in the 2008 Entry Draft, as well as an attempt to allow him to play in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a 17-year-old in 2007. Tavares was ranked as the top prospect for the 2009 Draft by both the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and International Scouting Services. Tavares has represented Canada at five International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)-sanctioned events, including the 2010 and 2011 World Championships. At the under-20 level, he won gold medals at the 2008 and 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He was named the most valuable player of the 2009 tournament after scoring eight goals and 15 points in six games. He also participated in the 2006 IIHF World U18 Championships, but failed to medal. Additionally, Tavares represented Team Ontario at the 2006 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and 2007 Super Series. On January 7, 2014, he was named to the 2014 Canadian Olympic Hockey Team, winning a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics despite an injury preventing him from participating in the final two games.
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Born
1990-09-20
Birth Place
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Height
1.8542
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Yardbarker

Predicting a Point-a-Game Season for Maple Leafs’ John Tavares

Can the Toronto Maple Leafs’ John Tavares be a point-a-game player in 2022-23 like he was in 2018-19? The Maple Leafs’ captain experienced a much easier summer in 2022 than he did in 2021. There was no concussion to heal from and no knee injury to rehab. That helps as he prepares for this coming season.
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FanSided

Happy 4th Anniversary to the Toronto Maple Leafs and John Tavares

The Toronto Maple Leafs are celebrating an anniversary today. It is the four year anniversary of the Toronto Maple Leafs signing John Tavares, and I personally think it’s a day for celebration. True, the Leafs haven’t yet won the Stanley Cup, but the four years with Tavares in the...
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Toronto Maple Leafs Can’t Actually Trade John Tavares Can They?

With an $11M cap-hit, trading John Tavares could free up a ton of space for the Toronto Maple Leafs. When John Tavares came home, every Toronto Maple Leafs fan thought it also meant the Stanley Cup was coming with him. However, it’s now been four seasons and the team has yet to reach the second round of the playoffs.
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Yardbarker

The best thing for John Tavares might be to play wing, but that opens up a big hole at center

Last fall I might have been a bit premature in beating the “move John Tavares to wing” drum, and to some extent, a 76 point in 79 game season points to JT doing just fine at center this year so I’ll accept that we weren’t quite there yet. Now things have changed a little. Most significantly there was a spike in GA/60 against the Tavares line this season. There was a notable trend upwards on xGA/60, and a modest increase in CA/60 as well. Defensively a step backward was taken. Tavares’ line was also more offensive, but not enough that it balanced out to a favourable goal differential. While high event hockey is by definition fun, and the Tavares line was getting its chances, the outcomes raise some concerns.
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CBS Sports

Maple Leafs' John Tavares: Scores twice in Game 6 loss

Tavares scored a pair of goals in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Lightning. Tavares scored a pair of goals 26 seconds apart late in the second period to give Toronto a 3-2 lead before they'd eventually fall in overtime. The 31-year-old center has three goals and two assists in his last three contests. Tavares will look to stay hot as the Leafs head back to Toronto for Game 7.
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Maple Leafs' John Tavares: Pots first goal of playoffs

Tavares scored a power-play goal and added an assist in Tuesday's 4-3 Game 5 win over the Lightning. Tavares got the monkey off his back with his first goal of the series early in the second period, cutting Tampa Bay's 2-0 lead in half. His third assist of the postseason helped Morgan Rielly tie it up early in the third. Toronto's leaders stepped up in this one, as the Maple Leafs got goals from Tavares, Rielly, William Nylander and Auston Matthews to take a 3-2 series lead.
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Yardbarker

After a poor start in Game 4, the Maple Leafs need better from everyone, including John Tavares

TAMPA, Fla. — John Tavares is well aware that his offensive play hasn’t been up to par. And although some production from the captain probably wouldn’t have been enough to stave off the onslaught put forth by the Tampa Bay Lighting on Sunday, the embarrassing 7-3 loss has put the spotlight on the team’s leader as the first-round, best-of-seven playoff series has suddenly become a best-of-three.
TAMPA, FL
CBS Sports

Maple Leafs' John Tavares: Contributes helper

Tavares recorded an assist, four hits, two PIM and a minus-2 rating in Sunday's 7-3 loss to the Lightning in Game 4. Tavares set up the second of William Nylander's two goals in the third period. Through four playoff contests, Tavares has been mostly neutralized on offense. He has a pair of assists, seven shots on net and a minus-3 rating while adding six hits and five blocked shots from his typical second-line role.
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Maple Leafs' John Tavares: One assist in two Round 1 games

Tavares has one assist and five shots on goal in two games against the Lightning in Round 1. Tavares was trending on Twitter the day after Wednesday's 5-3 loss in Game 2, but fan fury in Toronto is a sport in itself. With line match-ups in the road barn focusing on Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, Tavares will likely have more space to execute and more opportunity to generate offense. Remember -- the pivot managed a great 76-point season in a second-line role, and he has 895 regular-season points in 949 career games. And his 0.79 points per game playoff average is solid despite only having 39 games experience in the second season. Based on line rushes at Friday's practice, Tavares and William Nylander may be reunited to ignite even more scoring .
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CBS Sports

Maple Leafs' John Tavares: Ruled out Friday

Tavares (rest) will sit out Friday's clash with Boston, David Alter of The Hockey News reports. Tavares will join Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Jack Campbell as a scratch versus Boston on Friday. The four-pack are all expected to be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs, which could still be a rematch with the Bruins. For his part, the 31-year-old Tavares is coming off a 76-point campaign after having missed the 75-point mark in each of the previous two seasons and should be a top-end fantasy target in the postseason.
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