inspired by John Tavares
Team Canada
2006
New York Islanders
2009
Toronto Maple Leafs
2018
this is the extremely rare set of Tavares hockey cards Willy C. Collection started with... ten cards commemorating the amazing Record Breaking Season John Tavares had in 2006-07
as a 16 year old playing for the Oshawa Generals... these are some of the earliest cards John Tavares signed as a young emerging Hockey Superstar
there are ten different autographed cards numbered 1 of 9 and each card also has a 1 of 1 Gold version
below are six of the ten 1 of 1 Gold version cards
the 2018-19 season saw John Tavares play all 82 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs and he finished third in the league with a career high 47 goals... the 2019-20 season started with Tavares being named the 25th captain in franchise history
the 2019-20 NHL season was like no other with Covid bringing the regular season to an end at 70 games. The Leafs finished 36-25-9 and lost game 5 to the Columbus Blue Jackets of the qualifying round to miss the playoffs
the 2020-21 regular season was reduced to 56 games because of Covid and the Canadian teams only played against each other in the North Division. Toronto won the division with a 35-14-7 record and finished 6th overall in the NHL... Auston Matthews won the Rocket Richard Trophy with a league best 41 goals
the 2021 playoffs would see Toronto vs Montreal for the first time in forty years… however, Toronto’s first round struggles continued and the Maple Leafs lost games five, six, and seven to end their most promising season since 1967
the 2021-22 regular season would see the Leafs set a franchise record 115 points and finish 4th overall. Auston Matthews would set the Toronto scoring record with 60 goals and led the league while winning another Rocket Richard Trophy... he also won the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award
the 2022 Playoffs... Toronto would face the two time defending Stanley Cup Champs in round 1. The Leafs won game one 5-0 and then traded wins up until game 6 where they were up 3-2 in games and had Tampa Bay facing elimination... trailing 2-1 with less than a minute to go in the 2nd period... Tavares scored 2 goals 26 seconds apart to put Toronto up 3-2 heading into the 3rd. Two suspect third period penalties put the Leafs down two men and Tampa tied the game. They then scored in overtime to force game 7. In game seven, a game tying goal by Tavares was called back on another suspect call and Tampa went on to advance with a 2-1 win
the 2022-23 regular season saw Toronto finish tied for 4th overall with 111 points on a 50-21-11 record... John Tavares finished the season with 80 points on 36 goals and 44 assists
May 12, 2023... Round 2 Game 5 in Toronto... the Leafs fell behind in the first period 2-0. It was Morgan Rielly scoring in the 2nd period and the game would hold at 2-1 into the 3rd, then a 2nd goal, also scored by Rielly, appeared to cross the goal line, but was called back... then, with 4 1/2 minutes to go, William Nylander scored to force overtime. Despite the Leafs playing very well and outshooting Florida 52-43... the Panthers scored and the season was over
Willy C. Collection
This website was started shortly after John Tavares signed his $77 million dollar contract to come play Hockey where he grew up dreaming of playing... the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For the record, my real name is not Willy... I'm just a life long fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who has followed the career of Tavares, since before he was in the NHL.
I remember watching Tavares play Hockey in the OHL 15 years ago... reminded me of watching Eric Lindros dominate the OHL.
The 2006-07 OHL season with the Oshawa Generals... Tavares scores 72 goals and breaks the record held by Wayne Gretzky, for most goals scored by a 16 year old.
January 25, 2007... Tavares scores 7 points (4G+3A) in a 9-6 win over the Windsor Spitfires... including his 50th goal in just 44 games.
The 2008-09 season finds Tavares traded to the London Knights... where he notches 50 points in 24 games.
The 2009 World Juniors... Team Canada wins Gold and Tavares was named MVP after scoring 15 points (8G+7A) in 6 games.
To this day... the 215 goals scored by John Tavares in the OHL, is still the most goals ever scored in OHL history.
John Tavares coming to Toronto is bigger than a big deal... this man has played the game on a level that very few ever reach.
Tavares is going to have the opportunity to practice and play with the best Hockey team he's ever played on.
I have no doubt, us fans of Toronto are in for a real treat these next several years... John Tavares joins Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly as the Leafs come together in their quest to win The Stanley Cup.
Willy C. Collection started with 2 cards from the Ten of Ten 2006-07 ITG Heroes and Prospects John Tavares Record Breaking Season set of cards.
stay tuned...
Willy C. Collection
computer2print at ymail.com
416 316 1233