Johnny Who?

8. That is the number of goals John Tavares needs to become the all-time leading goal scorer of the National Lacrosse League. In the grand scheme of things, this little fact may be meaningless, after all, the league expects to grow and therefore play more games each season. The increased play will definitely lead to all current season high and career high stats being surpassed (with the exception of the goalie’s GAA and save percentage stats, which will take more consistent play to top).

Don’t get me wrong, John Tavares truly is one of the best players in the league, if not the best; the same could have been said for Gary Gait when he played being number two in all-time points in the NLL. As witnessed in the World Field Lacrosse Championship last summer, Gary has not lost his skills. Tavares currently holds the all-time lead in points & assists, and is the only player to record 500 goals and 500 assists. He is one of only a few players in the league who can single-handedly change the complexion of the game. He is always a threat to score and seems to be able to find the open man to pass to if they have a better scoring chance.

With three games remaining in the season, Tavares should be able to score the needed eight goals and become the league leader in goals. After all, he averages just over three goals a game. These last three games are against teams that have already secured a playoff spot so Johnny will be at the top of his game to help his team win. If the Bandits win all three games, they will finish first in their division, giving them home field advantage for the first two rounds. And, if Colorado loses one or more games, the Bandits will get home field advantage for the Champions Cup Final too, if they get that far.

Even though the league is still in the growing stage, anyone who does break a record has tremendous skill and should be honoured accordingly. John Tavares will break the goal scoring record and become the NLL’s all-time leader in goals scored; it is just a matter of time. The league will celebrate this feat and the fans will acknowledge John Tavares to be the top goal scorer in the league, if not the best. Even though the record will be surpassed in the future, and seeing the talented young kids the record may not stand for long, John Tavares will always be remembered for his skills and knowledge of the game and he may be seen as a builder of the league along with Gary Gait. I was too young to really appreciate Gretzky’s greatness on the ice but I am glad I am able to witness and appreciate John Tavares’ greatness on the turf.