Tavares won’t strand Islanders
Loyal was t he word Matt Martin used to describe John Tavares. Normally, it would have been a compliment. But the way the Toronto Maple Leafs forward said it made it sound like a negative character trait.
“He’s just a loyal guy in general,” said Martin, who spent the past six seasons as Tavares’ teammate with the New York Islanders. “Obviously, I’ve gotten the questions all year long — what’s going to happen (when Tavares becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2018) — and I don’t know. I do know he’s a loyal guy and he wants to win on Long Island.”
That’s t oo bad. It ’s a shame, really. If Tavares was a bit more selfish, a bit less devoted to a team and a fan base that does not seem as devoted to him, he one day might have a chance to win a Stanley Cup.
At the very l east, the 26- year- old wouldn’t be wasting away his prime years playing for a team that doesn’t know if it’s competing to win now, rebuilding or even relocating from Brooklyn, N.Y.
“I have said it in the past — I want to be on the Island, that is where I hope everything works out,” said Tavares, who can’t re-negotiate a new deal until July 1. “I think we all know there is a lot more, a lot more goes into it than just saying you want to be there. Negotiations happen and there is a process that goes about it, so for me it is just going through all that. I have not really thought too much about it ... I love playing here and hope to be here.”
While his loyalty to the Islanders is unquestioned, t he t eam hasn’ t exactly shown as much love for its only superstar. If they did, Tavares wouldn’t be playing on a line with a sixth-round pick or a winger who in his eighth season has never scored more than 41 points.
Of course, it’s nothing new for Tavares, who is the reason why Anders Lee ( 21 goals and 34 points prior to Tuesday night’s game) and Josh Bailey ( 11 goals and 38 points) are having breakout seasons. Throughout his career, Tavares has been asked to apply the Midas touch to sub-standard talent, whether it was Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau or Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen.
As Martin said of Tavares: “Over the years, he’s definitely made a lot of guys a lot of money.”
Since he was drafted first overall in 2009, only four players have scored more goals than Tavares (227): Alex Ovechkin (332), Steven Stamkos ( 298), Corey Perry ( 250) and Sidney Crosby (236). As of Tuesday morning, that put him ahead of the likes of Phil Kessel and Joe Pavelski (226), Patrick Marleau (225), Patrick Kane and Jeff Carter ( 224). Two years ago, Tavares finished second in league scoring and was a finalist for the Hart Trophy. And yet, New York has not exactly taken advantage of having a superstar in its lineup.
Over the last seven years, the Islanders have qualified for the playoffs three times. They have won j ust one round. In four of those seasons, the Islanders ranked last or second- last in league attendance, never climbing higher than 25th overall.
Heading i nto Tuesday night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tavares was in the top 30 in scoring with 46 points, having scored nine goals and 19 points in his last 15 games. In the process, he has almost singlehandedly pulled the Islanders, who a month ago were sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, into an unlikely playoff spot.
“I think he puts too much on himself, but that’s a good thing,” said interim head coach Doug Weight, who was Tavares’ teammate for the first two years of his career. “He wants challenges and he wants to be the leader on and off the ice. And he is. He’s a great captain and a huge piece to our team.”
Winning a Stanley Cup is ultimately the biggest challenge — bigger than even winning over fans in Brooklyn — and it’s ultimately what could keep Tavares in New York. After all, the reason why Stamkos re- signed in Tampa Bay last summer was because the team had the other pieces in place to contend for a championship. Even with top prospect Mathew Barzal in the pipeline, the Islanders are far from that goal.
In other words, before the Islanders can think about resigning Tavares, they should worry about finding him some quality teammates.
“I have not put that much thought into it,” Tavares said of the team’s future in Brooklyn. “I want to be honest with you. Just focused on this point in the season. We all want to know where we are playing and what the situation is, but a lot that stuff is rumours and reports. The organization has been great, not just with me but with all the players. That stuff does not change my thought process in wanting to be an Islander and hoping things work out.”