MAPLE LEAFS NOTES: Tavares closing in on milestone … Marchand embracing C with Bruins

Get the latest from Terry Koshan straight to your inbox

Article content

Regarding his next National Hockey League milestone, John Tavares will have to get back to you.

Advertisement 2

Article content

The Maple Leafs captain was within shouting distance of 1,000 career points before Toronto played host to the Boston Bruins on Saturday, sitting five shy of the mark.

Article content

Asked by a Boston reporter what the milestone will mean to Tavares in the context of his career, the centre didn’t dive in.

“I’m not there yet, so it’s hard to really say,” Tavares said. “But no doubt, coming into the league, or when I was growing up watching players accomplish that milestone, it was really significant, really impressive.

“Just trying to put my head down and keep going to work and playing well and let that happen when it happens, but I think it’s a special milestone.”

With 995 points, Tavares was in 98th in NHL history and tied with former Leafs teammate Jason Spezza. Next to pass for Tavares would be Brian Propp, who is 97th with 1,004 points. 

Article content

Advertisement 3

Article content

Of the 97 players ahead of Tavares, nine are active, including Sidney Crosby. The Pittsburgh Penguins star and future first-ballot Hall of Famer was 15th with 1,527 points, the most among active players.

Tavares played in his 1,000th NHL game last January.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

“I honestly didn’t know he was that close,” Leafs rookie Matthew Knies said of Tavares closing in on 1,000 points. “To be able to be a part of it and watch it happen live when it happens, it’s going to be pretty exciting.

“It’s a huge milestone to play 1,000 games, let alone get 1,000 points. It shows how tremendous of a player and leader he is.”

CAPTAIN CONSIDERATIONS

Brad Marchand didn’t take the responsibility of being named captain of the Bruins lightly and acknowledged there was a little more pressure to get it right after following Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara in the role.

Advertisement 4

Article content

“There’s more pressure when two of the best captains to ever play the game of hockey were our last two captains, not just in this room, but in any room,” Marchand said. “With the group knowing what is expected every day, everyone has that standard and it’s not really needed to be pushed at all very often.

“But definitely, internally you feel that pressure to try to be those guys.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Marchand had a funny, but true, response when he was asked about how he was getting by without Bergeron, who retired during the summer along with another Boston stalwart, David Krejci.

Marchand and Bergeron were teammates for 14 seasons and became close.

“Lonely,” Marchand said. “We spent a lot of time together in the room and outside of the rink. It’s different. One thing you take for granted when you have guys like him and other guys who have come through, Z and Recchs (Chara and Mark Recchi), was how well they controlled dressing rooms in certain situations and how easy they made life day to day because they carried so much of the load. 

Advertisement 5

Article content

“It’s different in that sense, not having (Bergeron) to manage stressful situations and take over the room at certain times.”

Does Tavares have a greater degree of respect for the Bruins because the Atlantic Division leaders have been able to excel without Bergeron and Krejci?

“Yes and no,” Tavares said. “You lose two cornerstone players and what those guys accomplished in their career, there’s no doubt those are big holes to fill.

“But they play such a strong team game that it’s also not surprising, the way they continue year after year to be a difficult team to play against and find themselves where they do in the standings.”

Recommended from Editorial

Advertisement 6

Article content

LOOSE LEAFS

The indication on Monday from Leafs general manager Brad Treliving was that there might be clarity on the status of defenceman John Klingberg by the end of the week. However, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said he had no update on Klingberg, who was seeking further opinions on his hip issue before deciding whether to have surgery … The Leafs recalled goalie Martin Jones from the Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis to back up Joseph Woll because Ilya Samsonov was sick … Not a good weekend for the Marlies, who were swept in a home-and-home set by the Syracuse Crunch. After losing 4-3 in Syracuse on Friday night, the Marlies fell 3-1 at the Coca-Cola Coliseum on Saturday. Logan Shaw scored the Toronto goal and Keith Petruzzelli made 22 saves … Another scheduling quirk has the Leafs idle until Thursday, when they visit the Ottawa Senators before returning home to play host to the Nashville Predators on Saturday … What did Tavares think of Mitch Marner wearing a fishbowl-style face shield against Seattle on Thursday and scoring three goals with it on? “Probably a good reason why it’s still on today,” Tavares said with a grin.

[email protected]

X: @koshtorontosun

Article content