Since John Tavares began to near the end of his long-term deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, talk has turned to him and his $11 million AAV.
Whether justified or not, his hefty pay was cited by critics as a factor in his output, despite the fact that he has been a point-per-game contributor since joining the NHL. Ever since joining the Toronto Maple Leafs, he has kept up that pace.
The critics would argue that the output fall was inevitable and that it was just a matter of time. It seemed like the right time had arrived before the All-Star break.
Tavares did not score in ten games and only had one assist before breaking through against the Winnipeg Jets. It was predicted that he would produce the least since his debut season. Even so, it