Tavares has eight points (four goals, four assists) in his last seven games with Matthews out of the Maple Leafs' lineup.
John Tavares is off to an incredible start to the season with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The 34-year-old forward is averaging a point per game this year, after posting 65 points (29 goals, 36 assists) in 80 games last season. And he's putting up these numbers while a couple of Toronto's key forwards are out of the lineup.
Auston Matthews, Max Domi, Max Pacioretty, and David Kampf have all missed games during this stretch with ailments. Simultaneously, Ryan Reaves is serving his five-game suspension for his hit on Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube is heavily relying on Tavares with Matthews out, and it appears that will continue on Sunday as Torotno takes on the Utah Hockey Club.
"I mean, even before Auston went out, I know he was sick for a bit, kind of pushed him back a little bit. But since he's got feeling good again, he's been great," Berube said on Friday.
"I think, he's so good and tight and positionally and really strong on a stick, winning one-on-one battles, and I mean, his work ethic is outstanding. He's just going to be solid all the time because of his work ethic, and I think, his experience as a player and, on both sides of the puck, he's done a real good job for us."
Although it feels like Tavares' role has been enlarged this season with Matthews out, he's actually averaging 17:32 of ice time, 20 seconds less than he averaged throughout last season.
But he's on pace for 38 goals, something the forward hasn't done since his first season with the Maple Leafs where he found the back of the net 47 times. (He also had 36 goals in 80 games with Toronto during the 2022-23 season.)
The Maple Leafs are 6-1 with Matthews out of the lineup and 6-5-2 with him in the lineup this season. Tavares was asked if he feels he's elevated his game with Toronto's captain out, but he likes to think it's been business as usual.
"I think our record's got to be pretty good with him in the lineup too. So, he's obviously a hell of a player and we miss him, and we want him back as soon as possible. I know he's doing everything he can to do that," said Tavares.
"For everyone, no one's going to replace him or fill his shoes. But you just, whatever your opportunity, your role is, you go out there and try to do it at the highest level. So, like I've always said, just love to go out there and compete and play the game. Love playing with this group of guys and being a Maple Leaf. So, I just go out there and do my job and worry about it one day at a time."
Tavares has 193 goals and 245 assists in 459 games with the Maple Leafs. He's in the final year of the seven-year, $77 million contract he signed with Toronto on July 1, 2018.
