John Tavares reached a milestone when he registered his 1000th NHL point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Monday night. There was a lot right about the situation, not the least of which was the joy on his father’s face when his assist on Morgan Rielly’s game-tying goal with only seconds left in the game forced overtime and lifted Tavares to the lofty plateau.
During the celebration, alternate captain Auston Matthews thought to skate to the net and retrieve the puck as a memento of Tavares’ accomplishment. In this post, I want to acknowledge the event. Here, I will offer two random considerations about Tavares’ 1000th-point milestone.
The first is that, while we recognize Tavares’ scoring prowess, what we sometimes forget is his determination to win and his dedication to preparing himself to play winning hockey. The second thing I want to explore further is whether Matthews’ consideration to retrieve the puck from the net means anything or whether it’s nothing (a no-thing).
Random Consideration One: What Else to Remember About John Tavares on Monday Night
When Tavares hit his 1000 points, the Maple Leafs bench emptied, and the excitement throughout the team was evident. In a classy display, the Islanders bench – even though they were robbed of getting a victory (for the moment) – paid their respects with a chorus of stick tapping. Tavares also responded uncharacteristically, with a rare smile.
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Tavares has now joined an exclusive club and by doing so, has etched his name in NHL history. Achieving this milestone in front of his father and against his former team, the Islanders, made for a near-perfect moment.
However, looking back and seeing beyond the numerical feat, we also saw a few things about Tavares as a player. First, it was hard not to see his impact on the team’s push to tie the game. Although he was having (for him) a so-so .500 night in the faceoff circle, in the crucial moments, he won four consecutive faceoffs. The last one directly led to Reilly’s goal.
Winning those key faceoffs shows his drive to win. It also hints at the kind of discipline he has to prepare himself for each season. For the past three seasons, there has been talk of the 33-year-old Tavares slowing down and no longer being able to produce as he once did.
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Yet, his scoring numbers have been bang on with his history. Currently, he’s a point-per-game player with eight goals and 18 assists (for 26 points) in 26 games and a rating of plus-5 for the season. He was also a point-per-game player last season, with 80 points in 80 games. For all his success, he’s relentless in working to improve his game (including his often pointed-to-deficient skating) as well as general fitness and stamina during the offseason.
He’s a dedicated Maple Leaf who’s respected by hs teammates. The celebration was not feigned. For sure, the takeaway for the evening was the 1000 points, but there is also the dedication. He’s now a bigger part of Maple Leafs history.
Random Consideration Two: Matthews’ Gesture: Routine Duty or Leadership Act?
After Tavares reached his milestone, Matthews retrieved the puck for his captain. While this action is commonly seen in sports, often it is handled by someone less in the spotlight (a trainer perhaps) than a key player on the team. In this case, because the puck was on the ice in the Islanders’ net, a player had to go get it. That was Matthews.
In response to a post I wrote just after the game, the question arose among readers as to whether Matthews’ gesture was a routine or a noteworthy act of leadership.
I wrote that Matthews’ gesture was noteworthy; however, some readers argued that retrieving the puck was an expected duty, akin to trainers catching pucks tossed by teammates during historic moments. One reader emphasized that glorifying this action might be excessive. However, others viewed Matthews’ act differently, highlighting the context and the leadership qualities it might reveal about the star player.
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My point here is to consider the readers’ perspectives. They made me consider what I’ve been seeing from Matthews since his bad behaviour during the 2019 offseason in Scottsdale, Arizona, was brought to everyone’s attention. At the time, Matthews released a statement that he had learned his lesson.
Over the last four years, we’ve learned more about him. Matthews has not always been perfect. However, he’s shown consistent support for his teammates.
Choosing to be the one to pick up Tavares’ puck was only one action. After goalie Ilya Samsonov’s shutout against the Nashville Predators, Matthews could be seen talking at some length with his goalie as the teams left the ice. In fact, as fans, we’ve seen him show a pattern of small acts that make him an exceptional teammate, regardless of the status of these acts. We have no idea of what he does or says in “the room,” but I can’t imagine it would differ from what we do see.
From what I have seen, Matthews’ leadership style is quiet yet impactful. These acts might be routine, but his intention and execution carry weight. They show respect and, paired with his on-ice excellence, suggest that he’s a player who leads by example. He doesn’t just score goals, but he displays sportsmanship and camaraderie.
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Matthews’ gesture also aligns with his humility and team-first mentality. In my mind, these are key qualities in a leader. [As an aside, I know that some will take issue with my use of the word humility when describing Matthews. However, agree or not, I chose it on purpose.]
I am unsure who will be the Maple Leafs’ captain after Tavares; however, in the past, I advocated for Rielly due to his passion and grit. If that does happen, and Matthews remains on the team, I expect that he’ll continue to support Rielly as the captain just as he does Tavares.
Thanks to THW Readers for Encouraging Me to Consider Matthews Further
In short, thanks to readers’ comments for pushing my consideration of Matthews beyond whether he retrieves pucks or not. It’s more about his overall approach to the game, his teammates, and the organization.
The bottom line is that opinions might vary. Some see his puck retrieval as a routine duty, while others interpret it as a meaningful act of leadership. Either way, he did it. And, by doing it he continues to show by his actions the kind of teammate he has become for the rest of the Maple Leafs roster.
