Writing that sentence still doesn’t feel real. Honestly, it probably never will.
Adding Tavares to a centre group already featuring Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri is a move so good, it defies comprehension. In an instant, the Leafs’ depth at centre upgraded their status from “troubling organizational need” to “bountiful surplus”.
It’s hard to picture any team, save for the Pittsburgh Penguins, being able to match it.
With that said, holes lower in the lineup are still present. As everyone likes to mention, defence remains an area of weakness, one which Kyle Dubas is likely working his tail off to address with each passing day.