Pierre McGuire crushes John Tavares' hopes for next season

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Daniel Lucente
July 19, 2024 (3:20 PM)

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John Tavares is the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and one of the highest paid players on the team, however Pierre McGuire has a different view of him.

Tavares has seen his numbers drop over the years, and this most recent season with the Leafs saw him record his lowest point per game total in over a decade, since the 2009-10 season. Pierre McGuire now believes that Tavares will need to accept a lower role with the team next season.

»When we got him, Trottier wasn't going to play ahead of Mario Lemieux or eventually Ron Francis. So, he goes in the three-hole. ... It worked, and he became the Pied Piper for the team. I believe John Tavares could be similar. If you move him to the three-hole and create the proper role for him, I think he could be an elite player in that position. Forget what he makes. Don't pay attention to the money. Just play him in the three-hole, and you watch how important he is to the team."

Tavares finished last season with 65 points in 80 games, which off the bat looks decent, however when you look at the fact he is getting paid $11 million a year, those numbers simply aren't good enough. His point per game production is steadily dropping, and the Leafs will need to quickly figure out how they want to go about this, as they are right up against the cap and need solutions.

Leafs fans sure hope the team figures out how to best utilise Tavares for next season, as they need everyone in tip-top shape if they expect to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Credit Hockey Feed:
Pierre McGuire has dim outlook for John Tavares