Jake McCabe calls John Tavares ‘ultimate pro’, wants Leafs to push for Atlantic Division crown

Jake McCabe feels the Toronto Maple Leafs should do everything they can to push for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, and he feels they have the resources in the dressing room to get it done.

McCabe and the Maple Leafs took down the New York Rangers on Thursday night, their second win in as many nights, and it was a game that included John Tavares reaching the 1,100-point mark. McCabe spoke to reporters after the team’s win on Broadway, and opened up about how impressed he is by seeing Tavares reach his major milestone.

“The ultimate pro,” McCabe called Tavares via Sportsnet’s Luke Fox. “The ultimate model of consistency. He’s a great example of all of us in our room and such a huge part of the team. So, yeah, it’s 1,100 points, man. S–t, that’s a lot of points.”

Tavares, 34, scored two goals against the Rangers and is now up to 29 on the season. The veteran centre has tallied 60 points in 62 games, in a season that started by getting stripped of the captaincy. Instead of sulking, or letting the change affect his game in a negative way, Tavares has done the complete opposite. He’s embraced his new role, continues to be a major part of the leadership group for the Maple Leafs, and is someone a lot of players on the team look up to.

McCabe feels it’s Tavares’ type of leadership, mixed with the well-rounded talent in the Maple Leafs dressing room that’s going to be able to help them push for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. With the win in New York, the Leafs remained tied with the Florida Panthers, with an identical 42-24-3 record with 13 games remaining.

“It’s important. I mean, we’re right there, and we’ve been right there all year.” McCabe told Fox. “Home ice in the playoffs. And you always want to come in first, no matter what you do. So, this is no different.”

McCabe has had a very strong season, which included signing a five-year, $22.5 million contract to stick around Toronto long-term. The veteran blueliner recorded his first three-assist game of the season against the Rangers, and he’s up to 20 points on the year while playing a career-high 21:30 per game. McCabe has been paired mostly with Chris Tanev this season, and essentially the duo has taken over as the Maple Leafs’ top defensive pair.

Toronto now makes their way to Nashville to take on the Predators, and finish off what’s been a busy week. The scoreboard watching continues, as if McCabe, Tavares and the Maple Leafs can keep rolling, they’ll be in the mix to win the Atlantic Division crown and set up a potential first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs matchup against the Ottawa Senators or Montreal Canadiens.