I think JT is reading these message boards, ever since I said I wish he was dominating more, he's been tearing it up ! 3 goals 6 assists 9 points last two games, coincidence ? I think not ;-)
Wow, watching the highlights, Tavares must have spent the summer watching Gretzky highlights, he really is making the back of the opponents goal his office, setting up countless goals from behind the net.
One last comment, though I HATE this lockout with a passion, playing in Switzerland really seems to be a great experience for Tavares. He is playing great, and winning. He's just showing the world that he can dominate no matter where he is playing.
I think JT is reading these message boards, ever since I said I wish he was dominating more, he's been tearing it up ! 3 goals 6 assists 9 points last two games, coincidence ? I think not ;-)
Wow, watching the highlights, Tavares must have spent the summer watching Gretzky highlights, he really is making the back of the opponents goal his office, setting up countless goals from behind the net.
One last comment, though I HATE this lockout with a passion, playing in Switzerland really seems to be a great experience for Tavares. He is playing great, and winning. He's just showing the world that he can dominate no matter where he is playing.
Was going to post this, love how he is setting up shop back there.
I guess Ritchie knows what it feels like to be the Swiss League version of Moulson. Hans is the offensive catalyst and Ritchie is taking full advantage of that. The two have definitely developed some good chemistry together.
Wow, watching the highlights, Tavares must have spent the summer watching Gretzky highlights, he really is making the back of the opponents goal his office, setting up countless goals from behind the net.
I may be mistaken, but isn't there a lot more room behind the net in Europe than on NHL rinks?
I think JT is reading these message boards, ever since I said I wish he was dominating more, he's been tearing it up ! 3 goals 6 assists 9 points last two games, coincidence ? I think not ;-)
Wow, watching the highlights, Tavares must have spent the summer watching Gretzky highlights, he really is making the back of the opponents goal his office, setting up countless goals from behind the net.
One last comment, though I HATE this lockout with a passion, playing in Switzerland really seems to be a great experience for Tavares. He is playing great, and winning. He's just showing the world that he can dominate no matter where he is playing.
JTs style of game is the closest thing we have to Wayne Gretzky since well, Wayne Gretzky. I'm not saying he's even close to being on the same level. But his offensive game is very very similar.
JTs style of game is the closest thing we have to Wayne Gretzky since well, Wayne Gretzky. I'm not saying he's even close to being on the same level. But his offensive game is very very similar.
The thing about JT is that I still don't know exactly what kind of player he'll be when he eventually hits his prime. Would anyone be surprised if all of a sudden he becomes a 50+ (60+?) goal scorer that he was in Junior? Does he continue his progression into a 40+ goal, 100 pt. player? How much better will his two-way game become? That's still a lot of questions surrounding a player already regarded as a star.
What sets him apart from everyone else is that his hockey sense and understanding of the game (especially offensively) are at a rare level. He's a good athlete, but he doesn't have the elite athleticism that people like Crosby, Ovie, Kovy, etc. You look at the physical package, it doesn't blow you away. Yet, he's always been an elite (dare I say, the elite) player at every level because he is several steps ahead of everyone else mentally. The kid is seriously packing upstairs.
I think it all depends on his linemates. Johnny will and CAN adapt his game to maximize their talents. With a talented finisher like Moulson (give the guy his due), Johnny has had to tailor his game more as a playmaker so far in his career. Throw in the fact that he was physically unprepared to play the way he did in Junior... until now. If Hans were to have playmaking wingers who are also strong in puck possession as a linemates instead of Moulson, then I'm almost positive that we'll see the 50+ goal scorer and a multiple Richard trophy winner. Remember that he has routinely been the leading goal scorer in the WJC and WC's.
JTs style of game is the closest thing we have to Wayne Gretzky since well, Wayne Gretzky. I'm not saying he's even close to being on the same level. But his offensive game is very very similar.
Have to disagree here, Crosby is the closest to Gretzky since Greztky. Similar style, maybe even more speed than Gretzky. One comparison I really noticed was, early in Gretzky's career, he was more of a passer, still scored a decent amount of goals, but more of an assist man. When Gretzky decided he wanted to score more goals, all he did was score a record 92 goals in one season. The game is different now, but Crosby's career started similarly. Was an assist man in the start of his career, decided he wanted to score more goals, and he wound up with his first 50 goal season, leading the league in goals (tied with Stamkos I believe). Crosby is also the youngest captain to ever win the Cup, a Gold medalist for Canada's Olympic team (scored the Gold Medal winning goal). He is truly the closest to Gretzky I've seen. 5th all time in points per game, yet playing in a different lower scoring era than 3 of the players ahead of him.
The thing about JT is that I still don't know exactly what kind of player he'll be when he eventually hits his prime. Would anyone be surprised if all of a sudden he becomes a 50+ (60+?) goal scorer that he was in Junior? Does he continue his progression into a 40+ goal, 100 pt. player? How much better will his two-way game become? That's still a lot of questions surrounding a player already regarded as a star.
What sets him apart from everyone else is that his hockey sense and understanding of the game (especially offensively) are at a rare level. He's a good athlete, but he doesn't have the elite athleticism that people like Crosby, Ovie, Kovy, etc. You look at the physical package, it doesn't blow you away. Yet, he's always been an elite (dare I say, the elite) player at every level because he is several steps ahead of everyone else mentally. The kid is seriously packing upstairs.
I think it all depends on his linemates. Johnny will and CAN adapt his game to maximize their talents. With a talented finisher like Moulson (give the guy his due), Johnny has had to tailor his game more as a playmaker so far in his career. Throw in the fact that he was physically unprepared to play the way he did in Junior... until now. If Hans were to have playmaking wingers who are also strong in puck possession as a linemates instead of Moulson, then I'm almost positive that we'll see the 50+ goal scorer and a multiple Richard trophy winner. Remember that he has routinely been the leading goal scorer in the WJC and WC's.
The thing about johnny is hes like a machine out there. He is always calculating and looking for the best PLAY to make. I def think he has 50 goal potential and I have no doubt that f he wanted to he could light the lamp but I see him as a constant 40g 50a guy...He looks for his teamates and puts them in the best possible position to succede.
Have to disagree here, Crosby is the closest to Gretzky since Greztky. Similar style, maybe even more speed than Gretzky. One comparison I really noticed was, early in Gretzky's career, he was more of a passer, still scored a decent amount of goals, but more of an assist man. When Gretzky decided he wanted to score more goals, all he did was score a record 92 goals in one season. The game is different now, but Crosby's career started similarly. Was an assist man in the start of his career, decided he wanted to score more goals, and he wound up with his first 50 goal season, leading the league in goals (tied with Stamkos I believe). Crosby is also the youngest captain to ever win the Cup, a Gold medalist for Canada's Olympic team (scored the Gold Medal winning goal). He is truly the closest to Gretzky I've seen. 5th all time in points per game, yet playing in a different lower scoring era than 3 of the players ahead of him.
maybe i just don't remember too well, but I don't recall Gretzky weaving in & out of defenders the way Crosby can/does. Crosbys game is fancier & more powerful & based more on his legs than Gretzky whose game was based on his head & hands. not to even imply that Crosby doesn't have incredible hockey sense & hands, because he clearly does.
Like Wayne, John seems to go to where the puck is going to be, not to where the puck already is. Maybe I just need to see Crosby on a regular basis, but it seems to me like he goes & gets the puck & then does something awesome
maybe i just don't remember too well, but I don't recall Gretzky weaving in & out of defenders the way Crosby can/does. Crosbys game is fancier & more powerful & based more on his legs than Gretzky whose game was based on his head & hands. not to even imply that Crosby doesn't have incredible hockey sense & hands, because he clearly does.
Like Wayne, John seems to go to where the puck is going to be, not to where the puck already is. Maybe I just need to see Crosby on a regular basis, but it seems to me like he goes & gets the puck & then does something awesome
Crosby appears to me to be a supercharged player of the Yzerman/LaFontaine type. Gretzky never used his lower-body the way Crosby does.
JT also looks nothing like Gretzky to me. He's a completely different player built for a game where survival is predicated on not having the puck long enough to take hits and cough it up. Sometimes I think JT is a puck-touch maximizer - he wants to get the most out of a play with the smallest amount of puck handling, while still controlling the play. Gretzky, on the other hand, controlled the play with the puck. Still, I think that if Gretzky played now, he'd play a bit more like JT.
Also, Gretzky just spent so much time either behind the net or above the circles. JT seems to spend all of his time from the dots down. Completely different styles. Again, I think Wayne would've played a bit differently if there were a ton of 6'4"+ D-men crowding the zone.
Tavares reminds me of an old school guy Kevin Stevens. Granted Stevens benefited big time from Lemeiux but just watching him play those years reminds me of how I see Tavares play (had to look up Stevens on Wiki to make sure I was getting the right guy and noticed the 2000 year with him being caught with crack cocaine and a prostitute so just noting there aren't, and hopefully will never be any off ice similarities lol). Tavares just knows what to do with the puck and even sometimes when a play seems broken he gets the puck to a spot where something can still happen.
The other thing is I think Tavares is suited to play well into his later years and will not suffer from aging as much as others. His hands are so quick and because he thinks the game with such speed the inevitable slow down of his body I think will still allow him to be productive since he is so quick to make decisions with the puck as it is. He could easily play into his low 40's and be great like Shanahan or Rechhi and some other guys that fought off age. I can't wait to see a little more talent around him and he will finally get the recognition he deserves around the league when he has that one year that people can't stop talking about. It's gonna happen!
Tavares reminds me of an old school guy Kevin Stevens. Granted Stevens benefited big time from Lemeiux but just watching him play those years reminds me of how I see Tavares play (had to look up Stevens on Wiki to make sure I was getting the right guy and noticed the 2000 year with him being caught with crack cocaine and a prostitute so just noting there aren't, and hopefully will never be any off ice similarities lol). Tavares just knows what to do with the puck and even sometimes when a play seems broken he gets the puck to a spot where something can still happen.
The other thing is I think Tavares is suited to play well into his later years and will not suffer from aging as much as others. His hands are so quick and because he thinks the game with such speed the inevitable slow down of his body I think will still allow him to be productive since he is so quick to make decisions with the puck as it is. He could easily play into his low 40's and be great like Shanahan or Rechhi and some other guys that fought off age. I can't wait to see a little more talent around him and he will finally get the recognition he deserves around the league when he has that one year that people can't stop talking about. It's gonna happen!
Kevin Stevens was a tough Parenteau. Tavares plays more like Lemieux than Stevens. I'd say you should look at Dale Hawerchuk as a comparison. Tough when needed to be, not the fastest but always where he should be and he can score easily and in timely fashion, a solid leader and a damned fine hockey player (which is different from scoring points).
Kevin Stevens was a tough Parenteau. Tavares plays more like Lemieux than Stevens. I'd say you should look at Dale Hawerchuk as a comparison. Tough when needed to be, not the fastest but always where he should be and he can score easily and in timely fashion, a solid leader and a damned fine hockey player (which is different from scoring points).
I've seen the Dale Hawerchuck comparisons made by several people, I have no problem with that, "Ducky" was a superstar.
Dale Hawerchuk
Center
Born Apr 4 1963 -- Toronto, ONT
[49 yrs. ago]
Height 5.11 -- Weight 185 -- Shoots L
Selected by Winnipeg Jets round 1 #1 overall 1981 NHL Entry Draft
Tweet Regular Season Playoffs
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM +/- GP G A Pts PIM
1979-80 Cornwall Royals QMJHL 72 37 66 103 21 18 20 25 45 0
1980-81 Cornwall Royals QMJHL 72 81 102 183 69 19 15 20 35 8
1981-82 Winnipeg Jets NHL 80 45 58 103 47 -4 4 1 7 8 5
1982-83 Winnipeg Jets NHL 79 40 51 91 31 -17 3 1 4 5 8
1983-84 Winnipeg Jets NHL 80 37 65 102 73 -14 3 1 1 2 0
1984-85 Winnipeg Jets NHL 80 53 77 130 74 22 3 2 1 3 4
1985-86 Winnipeg Jets NHL 80 46 59 105 44 -27 3 0 3 3 0
1986-87 Winnipeg Jets NHL 80 47 53 100 52 3 10 5 8 13 4
1987-88 Winnipeg Jets NHL 80 44 77 121 59 -9 5 3 4 7 16
1988-89 Winnipeg Jets NHL 75 41 55 96 28 -30 -- -- -- -- --
1989-90 Winnipeg Jets NHL 79 26 55 81 70 -11 7 3 5 8 2
1990-91 Buffalo Sabres NHL 80 31 58 89 32 2 6 2 4 6 10
1991-92 Buffalo Sabres NHL 77 23 75 98 27 -22 7 2 5 7 0
1992-93 Buffalo Sabres NHL 81 16 80 96 52 -17 8 5 9 14 2
1993-94 Buffalo Sabres NHL 81 35 51 86 91 10 7 0 7 7 4
1994-95 Buffalo Sabres NHL 23 5 11 16 2 -2 2 0 0 0 0
1995-96 St. Louis Blues NHL 66 13 28 41 22 5 -- -- -- -- --
1995-96 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 16 4 16 20 4 10 12 3 6 9 12
1996-97 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 51 12 22 34 32 9 17 2 5 7 0
NHL Totals 1188 518 891 1409 740 97 30 69 99 67
