The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a shaky start to the season, winning just five games so far. But while the rest of the team has remained inconsistent, center John Tavares has been in top form.
In 11 games, he’s already at 14 points and currently leads the franchise in goals. But his latest career milestone was just about ruined due to their loss against Columbus last night.
Leafs Fans Bemoan Timing of John Tavares’s Latest Milestone?
Since joining the Maple Leafs in 2018, Tavares has been one of their most dependable players, getting at least 50 points in each of his seven seasons in Toronto. But heading into the game on Wednesday, he was standing on the cusp of a very special milestone.
He had 499 goals on October 29, and with his third-period goal against the Blue Jackets, he finally became the 49th player in NHL history to score 500 goals. However, despite his best attempts, the Leafs were demolished by Columbus as Tavares had to leave the ice with a bittersweet experience.
The fans didn’t let that sour taste slide, as they took to social media to voice their dissatisfaction. One fan mentioned, “I just wish it would’ve happened under better circumstances 😭.”
Fans believe that, for all that Tavares has done for this franchise, this milestone should have come with a result for the night.
Others pointed out how Tavares, despite his consistent play, was stripped of his captaincy but is still giving his best.
They tweeted, “This is awful for JT, really. 500th goal in a crappy effort from the team. The guy has given everything for the club, been stripped of his captaincy, and then taken a huge pay cut for the same team. The Leafs need to find a cool way to honor his moment at home.”
They pointed out how, back in June 2025, he re-signed with the Maple Leafs on a four-year, $17.52 million deal with an AAV of just $4.38 million. This was a significant pay cut from his earlier $11 million AAV.
Other fans, meanwhile, simply say this wasn’t what Tavares deserved.
One fan wrote, “Ruined his special moment ☹️.” The popular beliefe was that Tavares’s milestone was overshadowed by the 6-3 loss. Another fan mirrored this feeling by tweeting, “Absolutely ruined it.”
However, while some fans were blaming the Maple Leafs, others wished that Tavares would get more time on the ice. He currently has a TOI/G of just 17:25, which is considerably lower than many of the other of Toronto’s top six forwards.
One fan even wrote, “I would love for you guys to actually play a full 60… Hell, even 2 whole periods can win you a game… PLAY.”
They believe that if Tavares is given more time on ice, the Maple Leafs will get back to winning ways sooner rather than later.
