Toronto Maple Leafs: Craig Button Has a ‘John Tavares Idea’

Can you picture John Tavares as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Craig Button certainly can and he even has an idea as to how he could join the Toronto Maple Leafs after his contract with the New York Islanders expires.

It’s kind of hard to picture, though.

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I’m not saying yet if I agree or disagree with what you’re about to read, but I like the out of the box thinking?

I don’t know, that’s the best I can do with this, but remember that I did make my case regarding Tavares quite some time ago.

However, every perspective matters.

Whether you like Button or not, he’s a smart hockey guy, but that doesn’t always correlate to being right 100% of the time.

I’ll jot down his statement for you to sift through and if you want to watch the brief spot where all of this was said, you can check it out here.

Onto the quote.

Button up, Folks

You didn’t like that subheading, did you?

Oh, well.

Let’s break down the quote from Button, almost the whole thing, minus one section about Kevin Durant.

Seriously, watch the video because it does get you pumped up a little bit, even if it’s pretty far fetched.

"John Tavares is a Toronto Maple Leaf. Interesting, but I think it’s a very good possibility and here’s why. There’s a lot of talk about windows of opportunity for teams, based on where they’re at and for the Toronto Maple Leafs with their players, good young players on entry level contracts, you think, what a great opportunity. So why does John Tavares fit with the Toronto Maple Leafs?I’m proposing a one year deal for John Tavares, while Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner are still on entry level contracts. They can clearly fit him in, he’s an elite number one center and when you consider about Mike Babcock’s real like for duos, well, how about this? Matthews and Nylander, Tavares and Marner and Kadri and Connor Brown. That’s a pretty good one, two, three when you consider duos. And for the Toronto Maple Leafs, I think that John Tavares could fit into their situation on a one year deal."

Continued

The quote’s so long that I had to break it down into two sections, so keep on reading, you’re almost there.

"You may ask, why would John Tavares sign a one year deal? Well, there is precedent for this and all you have to do is go back to 2008 when Marian Hossa signed with the Detroit Red Wings. Yes, those very same Detroit Red Wings that had Mike Babcock as their head coach. They fell in game seven of the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2009, but Marian Hossa made them a much better team and would John Tavares do that for the Toronto Maple Leafs? Absolutely.Toronto Maple Leafs fans may dream about John Tavares. I don’t think it’s so much of a dream, in fact, I think it’s something that has real legs and could be real possible, because if John Tavares has to look at this from the perspective of who has a better chance to win in the near future, I think it’s clearly the Toronto Maple Leafs."

There it all is.

Time for my thoughts.

My Opinion

I love and hate the idea.

My love for it is because it’s Tavares, a terrific hockey player who could really add to this young team and help push them towards success.

But where the hate part comes into play is that the whole thing just sounds a little absurd.

I guess that’s not hatred, just a realistic approach.

Let’s just pretend that Tavares was willing to sign a one year deal with Toronto, his hometown team.

At what cost?

I’m not necessarily focusing in on the Leafs cap situation either, but more so the message that this kind of move makes.

Yes, a semi-positive one because management has acquired an elite talent, but also one that looks impatient, like the plan is being rushed.

Maybe it could work and after all, it’s just speculation, but I’m also about 99% positive he’d never sign a one year contract at this stage in his career.

It’d be a full 100% if I could see into the future.

On the other hand, Tavares doesn’t seem too stressed about everything, but that could just be talk.

Anyways, enough of what I have to say.

Pick it apart, agree with it, whatever your thoughts are, I sincerely want to read your comments on Button’s statement.

Next: Leafs Upcoming Schedule

You know what to do, folks.