The Toronto Maple Leafs are amid a tight race to the finish. They are three points above the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning for first overall in the Atlantic Division. One player who could have a significant say in how this race finishes is Maple Leafs forward John Tavares. He has been one of the hottest players over the past 10 games and show no signs of slowing down. Could he be the key player down the stretch who takes Toronto and pulls away?
Maple Leafs' Tavares showing productive side
Tavres has 12 points on eight goals and four assists in his last six games. He has 35 goals and 34 assists for 69 points in 66 games and is third in team scoring behind Mitch Marner and William Nylander. His 13 goals since the 4 Nations tournament finished are tops in the NHL.
Tavares is nothing short of consistent since he arrived in Toronto. As a player with this much offensive potential, he seems to fly under the radar when it comes to naming players who have star qualities. A former captain of the Maple Leafs and New York Islanders, he is not vocal but instead lets his play do the talking. Toronto is an offensive-first team and they need Tavares' consistency to overcome a tight playoff race.
Toronto has a slight advantage coming down the stretch, leading the division by three points. One thing that is also close is the games remaining as Toronto has eight games left, while Florida and Tamap Bay both have nine remaining in the 2024-25 season. Talk about a photo finish.
Tavares is a versatile player, playing either wing position or center. Center is his best position but having played a bit on the wing, it gives head coach Craig Berube options if needed in the playoffs. Tavares and his leadership can also come in handy as the playoffs can be extremly stressful on the roster.
Whether he remains this hot into the playoffs is still a question but his playoff stats show how incredibly reliable he is offensively. In his playoff career, he has 23 goals and 23 assists for 46 points in 52 games.
While in Toronto, he has 12 goals and 12 assists in 38 games. He will be one of the players who Berube looks at to provide extra production in the critical playoff season. Tavares has been nothing short of amazing during his hot streak but he will put that aside for a Stanley Cup in Toronto.