Tavares is thriving in the last year of his contract. It could set him up for a solid payday, unless he chooses to re-ink with the Leafs at a discount in order to keep the core four intact.

Tavares saw 19:54 of ice time in his return from a lower-body injury that cost him six games. The 34-year-old center returned to his usual top-six role as well as a spot on the first power-play unit.

But at age 22, the same age that Matthew Knies is now, Pacioretty was still splitting his time between the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. In other words, Pacioretty, who would become one of the game’s great scorers and power forwards,