When the Toronto Maple Leafs originally committed to John Tavares as a free agent, the hope was that he’d be able to continue his star trajectory for his hometown team.

Originally signing on a seven-year deal worth $11 million per season, the expectations were high for Tavares to produce at an elite level, but there was an assumption that he’d probably find himself tailing off at some point during his time with the Leafs.

Fast-forward seven years, and Tavares is remarkably having his best season yet with the Leafs, at the age of 35. The Leafs themselves might still be figuring out their identity, and are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. But Tavares has put up 27 points by way of 12 goals and 15 assists in 21 games, with his 1.29 points per game mark the best of his 17-year NHL career.

Whether in Toronto or with the franchise that drafted him in the New York Islanders, Tavares has managed remarkable consistency as a pro. While he’s never been the best player in the league (he’s finished as a league MVP finalist on two occasions), he’s managed to put up a 0.9 or better points-per-game mark in 11 of his 16 seasons so far, with an average of 0.93 points per game in New York and 0.97 in Toronto.

And Tavares has the chance to pull off something he’s never done before: the 100–point season. Now in the first year of his second contract with Toronto, worth just $4.38 million per year until 2028-29, he’s on pace for 106 points.

Only five NHL players ever have hit 100 points or more after turning 35: Johnny Bucyk, Gordie Howe, Jean Ratelle, Wayne Gretzky, and most recently, Joe Sakic in 2006-07.

That’s especially impressive if Tavares were to reach the mark, given his career high is 88 points, achieved during his first season in Toronto in 2018-19.

It’s hard to pinpoint any one reason for Tavares’ game aging so gracefully, but any player that’s still producing in their mid-30s usually has a next-level mix of hockey IQ, strong conditioning, and a little bit more natural talent than your average NHLer.

The jury is still out on how Tavares will be remembered as a hockey player when his career’s all said and done, but he’s certainly doing just about everything he can to help the current iteration of the Leafs.

Lead photo by

Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images