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What makes John Tavares such a dominant offensive player?

John Tavares is a special talent, for sure. (Getty)
John Tavares is a special talent, for sure. (Getty)

It really isn’t open to interpretation with Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner.

With Matthews’ means to beat netminders, clean, with a wicked release seemingly uninfluenced by angle, stick or body position and Marner’s ability to apply his virtuoso creativity at high-end speed, both superstars have clearly defined differentiating skills. Each have been on full display in the early days of the Toronto Maple Leafs season — one shaping up to be unlike any we’ve seen in some time.

What separates the newest star forward in Toronto, though, is a little less clearly defined. Even if he’s got 500 some-odd games on each to showcase his mega talent.

John Tavares is an undeniably special offensive player who has relentlessly filled up the scoresheet in his 10 seasons. He’s produced 0.99 points per game across the last eight. That’s a number that speaks for itself. But endeavouring to provide a succinct description of what sets him apart, well, that’s somewhat of a challenge.

Tavares is no burner; skating has been the knock on him if anything. And he’s scored an absolute ton in his career, however, he wouldn’t be included in the elite class of marksmen and small group of players that can routinely strike from range.

But Tavares didn’t make pretty much all his former wingers with the New York Islanders boatloads of cash without an exceptional talent base.

How to put his extraordinary skillset in words has been on my mind since Tavares did this in his Leafs debut:

What an introduction.

So simple, but so damn special. Quintessential Tavares, right? Whatever that means.

He’s added five goals and 10 points in the five games since he did that, but it’s that effort that best illustrates what makes him such a tremendous talent — at least for me.

Watch the goal one more time.

It’s possible that Tavares didn’t reach quarter speed, nor did he stickhandle through a single defender (despite four being present) to score his first goal in blue and white. All he needed was a masterful change in direction onto an economical angle, a handful of meaningful strides on a straight line and a single decoy (onrushing forward Josh Leivo) to carve out the real estate for a high-danger look.

A similar play developed Monday night versus the Kings, though this time it failed to result in a goal. But this damning visual captured just before he failed to connect on a drop pass with Zach Hyman shows how he can impact opposing players.

Look at the feet of Alec Martinez:

(Video/images courtesy NHL.com)
(Video/images courtesy NHL.com)

Manipulating defensemen, manipulating space.

Perhaps this encompasses Tavares’ super skill?

Let’s go back to the first goal — starting with his ability to freeze the defender.

There’s a reason why most teams aim to establish the zone on power plays by sending a trailer to collect the puck, and use speed, skill and an engineered head start to break the line of penalty killers to achieve controlled possession. Because even with all the increases in pressure that defensemen are under in a league getting faster by the season (and no less lenient on stick and body infractions), they remain at their most helpless at a standstill.

“You never want to be in that position,” said Martinez.

“You’re going to get roasted a lot,” Toronto’s Travis Dermott agreed.

On a micro level, Tavares mimicked this situation with a hard change in direction. But what’s most amazing about the goal is that he was at a near standstill himself before stepping over the line.

Still, as he hit the brakes to cut what little momentum he did have, Tavares manages to create an unsavoury standstill scenario for Habs defenders anyway, and uses it to dart away on his angle to the high slot.

Space created. Now what to do with it?

With his route and advantage now established in the offensive zone, Tavares needs just a few strides to breeze by the last-ditch effort from the immediate defender and slide into a precise scoring range. He waits long enough to open up a shooting lane from a high-percentage spot as a second defender steps up, but is sure to fire before Montreal’s hard-charging back-checker arrives to help the immobilized defence.

“Real strong on the puck. He protects it and can roll off guys real quick and get to open space,” visiting former Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf said about what sets Tavares apart.

It seems like an innate skill for Tavares, his navigation in the attacking zone. Still, teams like the Leafs are conscious of these details, and aim to teach them within their skills development program.

“It’s something we work on — weight shifts, protecting the puck while still having strength on your skates,” Dermott says.

“It’s tough to defend. When not only trying to get the puck off someone’s stick, but trying to get around his body to get to the stick, and then to the puck. It makes it tough.”

Spatial awareness, economy of movement, weight shifts, body position, puck protection, balance.

It’s a mouthful, but Travis, we may have completed the Tavares puzzle.

Now what to glean from the 10 points Tavares has racked up since?

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