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Milestone Night For Leafs' John Tavares Shows How Underrated His NHL Career Has Been
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Maple Leafs star centre John Tavares hit a milestone that very few NHLers have ever reached, and it's evidence that his career has been very underappreciated.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off an impressive 4-3 victory against the New York Rangers in which Tavares stepped up, scoring 2 goals and adding an assist. His 3-point performance was not only one of the keys to the win, but also marked his 1,100th career point in the NHL.
Reflecting on his accomplishment, Tavares shared his thoughts, as per LeafsLatest on X:
"You don't take it for granted. It has been a great journey, a lot of hard work, and I've played with two great organizations. A lot of great teammates have been a big part of that, helping me along the way and making me look good a lot of the time."
Tavares' teammate, Jake McCabe, also commented on the milestone, as per David Alter:
"It's 1100 points, man... sh*t, that's a lot of points."
Tavares has accumulated 485 goals and 1,100 points in 1,171 games. Despite this impressive feat, he is often not regarded as a superstar and a marquee player in the league, though his numbers suggest otherwise.
His 485 goals have now surpassed the totals of legends like Darryl Sittler and Sergei Fedorov, both of whom are considered all-time greats and dominated their respective eras. Tavares currently sits 54th all time in goals and 68th in points.
Tavares' production has been consistently impressive. He has never exceeded 90 points in a single season, but has surpassed 80 points in five of his last seven full 82-game seasons. Additionally, he has reached the 25-goal mark in 14 of his 16 seasons. His 1,100 points are also the highest in his 2009 draft class, with Matt Duchene sitting as the next closest at 878.
Although Tavares may not always receive the recognition he deserves, he clearly feels appreciated in Toronto as he has repeatedly expressed his love for playing for the Leafs and the desire to return.
As the Maple Leafs prepare for the playoffs, Tavares' consistency will be crucial to the team's success both down the stretch and in the postseason.
| POLL | ||
MARS 21 | 3141 ANSWERS Milestone Night For Leafs' John Tavares Shows How Underrated His NHL Career Has Been Is John Tavares the most underrated star in NHL history? | ||
| Yes | 1307 | 41.6 % |
| No | 787 | 25.1 % |
| Maybe not in history, but in the modern era, yes | 1047 | 33.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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