So you say you watch the Leafs but clearly don't...Kadri is 2nd line, and has the 5th highest time on ice among forwards for the Leafs. And he has been playing against other teams top lines recently...
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/tea.../?hubname=nhl-maple_leafs
- BoBBeR56

6th highest TOI/G, but splitting hairs. I don't watch the Leafs, but are he, Bozak, and Grabovski all playing as centers? Because, if so, he's behind both of them, making him the center with the 3rd most TOI/G.

So you say you watch the Leafs but clearly don't...Kadri is 2nd line, and has the 5th highest time on ice among forwards for the Leafs. And he has been playing against other teams top lines recently...
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/tea.../?hubname=nhl-maple_leafs
- BoBBeR56

According to BehindTheNet.ca, Grabovski has had the toughest assignments this season, basically being used in a shutdown role when you look at the line she plays against the low amount of offensive zone start %.

How is the "best player in the game" not the "most valuable to his team"???????
- cap1681

Really? Think about it a bit...and then come back to the boards.
Example. Stamkos is probably top3 players in the game right now, yet not even in this discussion.
Also, the Penguins without Crosby are still one of the top teams in the league, and could still win the Cup. They would still be a top3 seed in the East. The Isles without Tavares are probably sitting last in the East, and would have probably the fewest goals for...good OHL teams would be able to beat them.
Tavares dominates while on the ice, and has no one around him.
Crosby has Malkin, Neal, Kunitz, Letang...Isles have no one even close to any of those guys.
Crosby IS the best player in the game, but his team wouldn't be impacted as much if he wasn't playing than if JT wasn't playing for the Isles.

The Hart trophy right now is Ovechkins to lose unless Crosby somehow makes it back for the remaining few games of the season.
- Frosty_Nipples

Tavares > Ovechkin.

6th highest TOI/G, but splitting hairs. I don't watch the Leafs, but are he, Bozak, and Grabovski all playing as centers? Because, if so, he's behind both of them, making him the center with the 3rd most TOI/G.
- jmatchett383

The difference between Kadri & Grabs ice time is seconds per game, its more of Bozak being the #1, and Kadri & Grabs playing a #2A and #2B role. Kadri had been playing with Lupul, would you say Lupul is a 3rd line guy?

To be honest, in past seasons, I thought Tavares was a pretty one-dimensional player and maybe even a little bit soft.

Soft? I don't think there was a single moment from day one that anyone legitmately could say he was 'soft'. JT was considered to be a great offensive zone player prior to being drafted, but from his first season he proved to be an intense, tough, offensive force. What shocked me even more about him was his playmaking ability, which is in the Malkin Crosby territory.

At no time, would anyone who actually consistently watched Tavares, refer to him as one-dimensional or soft.
- keaner17

Dead on assessment

The difference between Kadri & Grabs ice time is seconds per game, its more of Bozak being the #1, and Kadri & Grabs playing a #2A and #2B role. Kadri had been playing with Lupul, would you say Lupul is a 3rd line guy?
- BoBBeR56

bozak is playing the top line minutes, grabo is playing the tough shutdown minutes, and kadri is playing the easier minutes........

and he's played like 5 games with lupul

Tavares > Ovechkin.
- isles10289

In a pure hockey sense, no way. As a teammate and a leader, you are correct.

In a pure hockey sense, no way. As a teammate and a leader, you are correct.
- cap1681

By the time both their careers are over JT could be better than ovie in every way

no....

By the time both their careers are over JT could be better than ovie in every way
- Redmile247

First 3 seasons of each careers:

Ovechkin: 245 GP 163 Gs 147 As 310 pts +11
Tavares: 243 GP 84 Gs 118 As 202 pts -37

Tavares has a alot of catching up to do.

Tavares > Ovechkin.
- isles10289

egg > chicken

First 3 seasons of each careers:

Ovechkin: 245 GP 163 Gs 147 As 310 pts +11
Tavares: 243 GP 84 Gs 118 As 202 pts -37

Tavares has a alot of catching up to do.
- cap1681

man, i was collecting the stats, came to post, and saw this. you beat me to it...............you suck

pretty sure OV won a calder and a couple of hart trophies in there too

By the time both their careers are over JT could be better than ovie in every way
- Redmile247

JT is a great hockey player, and one that I would kill to have on the Sabres, but hes not even close to Ovi, nor will he be by the end of his career.

I dont think JT ever reaches 100 points in a season. Ovi did it his rookie year on one of the worst teams in the NHL.

JT is a great hockey player, and one that I would kill to have on the Sabres, but hes not even close to Ovi, nor will he be by the end of his career.

I dont think JT ever reaches 100 points in a season. Ovi did it his rookie year on one of the worst teams in the NHL.
- theblueandgold

I'll book that bet The guy has been playing with leftovers his first couple of years. Once he gets a top flight power forward on his line he will surpass 100 points no problem he is that good. He had around 82 points last year and is a point per game pace now with Brad Facking Boyes playing with him.

This shouldn't even be a discussion right now. Crosby is the clear cut winner. JT's time will come. Just not right now

Luongo for Tavares.
- Nucker101

done

I would, what with the rising cost of postage and all.
And the fact that Stamkos potted 60 goals on a poop poor TB team last year.
- jmatchett383

as opposed to what Tavares has done on a worse team?

In a pure hockey sense, no way. As a teammate and a leader, you are correct.
- cap1681

You finding this funny tells me you have'nt watched the kid play too much.

as opposed to what Tavares has done on a worse team?
- Cptmjl

You mean scoring a pro-rated 50 goals/82 games on a playoff team?

What about Bobrovsky? If somehow the Jackets make the playoffs, he should win.

What about Bobrovsky? If somehow the Jackets make the playoffs, he should win.
- MrData

That's pretty fair; no real high-powered scoring threats and somehow in the hunt. But they have to hope one of Detroit or Minnesota collapses.

bozak is playing the top line minutes, grabo is playing the tough shutdown minutes, and kadri is playing the easier minutes........

and he's played like 5 games with lupul
- sensarmy_11

Right...so Leafs "3rd" line is outscoring the top2?
Easier minutes, lol...coulda sworn I saw Chara playing against the Kadri line in the home and home, but couldn't have been him since Kadri plays the easy minutes.

What about Bobrovsky? If somehow the Jackets make the playoffs, he should win.
- MrData

This is true...did Flyers trade the wrong guy?

This is true...did Flyers trade the wrong guy?
- BoBBeR56

Well, they can't trade Bryz. It was more of a courtesy to Bob. He was better than a backup, but he wasn't going to get starter minutes, so they traded him for a 2nd and selected Stolarz with it. Guy has had a promising year since leaving school for the OHL (although he got lit up last night). Hope Bob continues to progress.