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Leafs forward John Tavares denied the opportunity of a lifetime
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares has been playing inspired hockey at the age of 35, and he was in consideration for a spot on Team Canada at the Olympics.
Over the past couple of seasons, John Tavares has defied the odds for the Toronto Maple Leafs with some remarkable statistics.
This season, Tavares is 35 years old, and he is still playing some inspired hockey. In 39 games, he has 15 goals and 36 points, which is extremely impressive.
Having said that, the forward has been trying to make Team Canada. If you remember, he was snubbed from the 4 Nations Face-Off team, despite meeting the criteria.
Today, Team Canada announced its roster for the Winter Olympics, and there was this hope that Tavares would be able to make the team.
John Tavares will not play for Team Canada
Unfortunately, that will not be the case for the former Toronto Maple Leafs captain. Instead, he has been passed over for much younger stars.
For instance, guys like Macklin Celebrini, Nick Suzuki, and even Mitch Marner have made the team, which can't be a good feeling for Tavares.
Quite frankly, it was always a bit of a stretch to think that Tavares was going to make the Toronto Maple Leafs, especially when you consider his age and history.
Team Canada put a lot of stock into guys who had made the 4 Nations roster. After all, Canada won that tournament and are ready for the Olympics.
Not to mention, Tavares' history in the Stanley Cup playoffs is dubious at best, and the top brass want guys with a history of winning.
Ultimately, this is going to be a disappointment for the forward, but one he probably expected considering the circumstances.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 31 | 339 ANSWERS Leafs forward John Tavares denied the opportunity of a lifetime Do you believe John Tavares should have made Team Canada? | ||
| YES | 217 | 64 % |
| NO | 122 | 36 % |
| List of polls | ||