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2020 NHL Season: Grading the Toronto Maple Leafs’ centers at season pause

By Simon Vacca

TORONTO,ON - JANUARY 8: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a shoot-out goal against the Winnipeg Jets during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on January 8, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Jets defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in a shootout. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO,ON - JANUARY 8: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a shoot-out goal against the Winnipeg Jets during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on January 8, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Jets defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in a shootout. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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SUNRISE, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 27: John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates on the ice against the Florida Panthers during the first period at BB&T Center on February 27, 2020 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 27: John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates on the ice against the Florida Panthers during the first period at BB&T Center on February 27, 2020 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

John Tavares

Games Played: 63
Goals: 26
Assists: 34
Points: 60

In the 2018-19 season, John Tavares put on a show, providing Maple Leafs fans with one of the most spectacular individual campaigns in the organization’s history. Throughout 82 games, the center tallied 47 goals and 41 assists for a head-turning 88 points. As such, his first season as a member of the blue and white — after a whirlwind of a summer — could not have been better.

The 2019-20 campaign was always going to be a challenge for Tavares. Coming off the most productive season of his career, grappling with the enormous responsibility of being named the 25th captain in franchise history and facing the work-life balance inherent to first-time fatherhood all but ensured that the NHL season would reflect an uphill climb.

The 29-year-old embraced his new duties with an overarching sense of poise, playing good — albeit not always great — hockey. Add the fact that Tavares was often separated from Toronto’s top playmaking winger in Mitch Marner — with whom he had established excellent chemistry across the previous campaign — while battling a nasty finger injury and the player’s shortcomings become all the more understandable.

Tavares notched 26 goals and 34 assists for 60 points in 63 games. His defensive game remained steady and strong in spite of his teammates’ struggles in their own end. And while Tavares may not have played the dynamic-altering hockey that fans were hoping for, he remained a force to be reckoned with in the face of the club’s adversities.

I look forward to getting a full season out of No. 91 and No. 34, respectively.

Grade: B+

That is all for this first installment of our 2019-20 Maple Leafs season review thus far. Tune in next time when we examine Toronto’s left wingers.

Next. Maple Leafs sign Russian forward Alexander Barabanov to ELC. dark

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