Craig Berube Makes Bold Statement About Leafs Star John Tavares

As fans held their breath for the majority of the game, the Maple Leafs ended up prevailing over the Panthers in a game that not only clinched a playoff spot for them, but showed that even under pressure they can hang with the best of the best.

It wasn't without some concerns though as both David Kampf and Jake McCabe left the game due to injury (though McCabe's was likely just a precaution given it happened the last minute of the game). But even through the struggles the team came out on top.

A lot of that was due to John Tavares, who scored yet another goal on his current torrid pace as of late, and it hasn't gone unnoticed.

Fans, analysts, and now his coach, are all stunned at how well he's done this season and how important he is to the core of the Maple Leafs' identity:

Tavares is known for being as meticulous as can be, consistently doing the exact same preparations for games since he came into the league.

His health is top notch, he's consistently adapting to new techniques, and has shown that age doesn't mean anything as long as you have great fundamentals.

To be referred to as basically another coach in addition to shouldering the load of helping a team night in and night out is nothing short of incredible, and is a testament to his longevity and ability to produce consistently for the past 16 seasons.

It's another ridiculously good season for Tavares, and while he is 34 years old, he's shown no signs of slowing down.

In 68 games, he's registered 70 points (36G, 34A) which gives him his fifth career season with 35+ goals, and raises his career total to 491 goals and counting.

The issue is that Tavares is going to be a free agent this summer, and while he's not going to make as much as he currently does, there's no way he deserves a massive cut just for the sake of sticking around, he deserves to be rewarded for his performances.

Whether that means he signs for a deal that includes deferred money, or a short-term pact to gauge how things are going year to year, Toronto needs to figure it out, along with the several other contract issues staring them in the face.

But if John Tavares can keep on playing at his current pace, and continue to lead by example, there could be a lot of success in the near future for the Maple Leafs.

Though really now, it's just up to #91 to help carry the team to victory.