Utter chaos in large part thanks to the media, the fanbase demanding the team trade everyone essentially, and a head coach walking back his “comments” when he called out his star players for not playing well enough, all while going 3-1-0 since last Saturday. Just another week in Leaf land!
Moving forward, I will write an article each week (Saturday to Saturday) based on who I thought was the Leafs op performer for that given week.
This week the Leafs played against the Ottawa Senators, Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars, and Winnipeg Jets. They defeated the Sens 3-2, lost to the Coyotes 4-2, beat the Stars 3-2 in OT, and defeated the Jets 4-1. Other than the humiliating loss to the Coyotes last Monday, not a bad week for the Leafs by no means.
So that begs the question, who was the Leafs player of the week?
Look no further than the Leafs Captain, John Tavares. In 4 games this week, Tavares scored two goals and added two assists for 4 points during that four-game span. Oh, and he also recorded his 900th career point this week as well—no big deal. In my opinion, you can’t judge what Tavares brings to the lineup solely based on points. Sure, points are the bread and butter, but Tavares does all the little things within each game that can sometimes go unnoticed by some fans, especially casual fans. Tavares was a force all week long. He was winning battles down low at both ends of the ice, dominating in the face-off circle, and having the drive to go and get the puck back whenever the Leafs lost possession. He did all of this while being a point-per-game player. What more could you ask for? He’s had a fantastic start to the year, to quote @biehn25 from The Leafs Late Night Podcast, “he looks like the John Tavares of old.”
I couldn’t agree more. Tavares has had a very noticeable jump to his game so far. It’s like he has unlocked another gear he had yet to find thus far throughout his NHL career. He’s beating guys in races to the puck, he looks faster while carrying the puck through the middle of the ice, and he is beating guys to open ice while creating scoring chances for himself and his teammates. If this week is a sign of what’s to come from Tavares this year, then buckle up Leafs Nation because we are in for quite a treat from the captain. I am fully rooting for Tavares to have a lights-out season this year, honestly. Since arriving in Toronto in July of 2018, he has not been given the credit or love he’s deserved from this fanbase, in my opinion. Of course, there is a good chunk of Leafs Nation who love Tavares and everything about his game. However, another chunk simply cannot see the good Tavares brings to this team. Either that or they refuse to see it. Let’s look at his numbers as a Leaf up to this point, shall we? Since joining the blue and white, Tavares has skated in 286 games. In those 286 games, he has scored 122 goals to go along with 159 assists for a total of 281 points, giving him a 0.98 points per game average with the Leafs. How can people be mad about that type of production? Especially while he’s producing like that, he is doing all the little things right defensively. He may not be a “superstar” like Crosby or McDavid, but John Tavares is an elite player in my book. You will be hard-pressed to find a better player below the hash marks in the offensive zone in the game today. Down low and in tight? He is money. It’s about time people started putting some respect on Tavares’ name.
While Tavares is my choice for the Leafs player of the week this week, I simply could not write this article without giving a very well-deserved honorable mention to the new Leafs goaltender, 25-year-old Ilya Samsonov. Samsonov, who the Washington Capitals did not qualify, left money and term on the table to come to Toronto on a one-year $1.5M contract. He said he looked at Toronto and said he saw an opportunity where he could prove he could be a bonafide NHL starter. So far, he has been lights out for the blue and white, posting a 4-0-0 record with a 1.73 goals-against average and a 0.938 save percentage. The Leafs could not have asked or dreamed of a better start for the 25-year-old netminder. The only complaint I have about Samsonov’s game so far is that it seems to be a lock that he will give up one soft goal each game. If he can clean that part of his game up as the season rolls along, there’s no saying what his ceiling could be.
So, who will be the Leafs next player of the week? Stay tuned to find out! The Leafs take on the Vegas Golden Knights, San Jose Sharks, and LA Kings this week!
For more Leafs news and in-game tweets, follow me on Twitter @mikethefanatic! Also, be sure to check out The Leafs Late Night Podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts!
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Totally agree with everything Mike! We are so lucky to have our captain, JT!