For the second time this year, Captain John Tavares has apparently been demoted, sparking some worry from fans that he is struggling to keep up with the demands.
John Tavares has been the leader in the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room for some time now, and he has been pretty successful with his on ice performances as well. However, this year he has struggled more than usual. This has resulted in his demotion to the third line earlier in the year.
With injuries, though, Tavares was able to work his way back onto the second line, however, that didn't last long. During practice yesterday, Tavares was demoted again, skating with the third line.
Even though the Leafs haven't been able to stay healthy, playing John Tavares as the third-line center and having Max Domi, who has found his game recently, play up on the second line, was successful for the Leafs when they were on their hot streak just a few weeks ago.
With Marner and Jarnkrok out, the Leafs will have a bit of a new look for the next few games, and we will see how that plays out for them as some guys are given a new chance to prove their worth.