Speculation: Tavares Tells Toronto, "I'm YOUR Huckleberry Now". Fans leaguewide mourn.

[Meatball]

Until the ink dries on a new contract, there's still a glimmer of hope.

 

[Dbrownss]

I don’t buy that JT was just waiting in a new building. NYI has no future and currently are stuck in limbo. Barzal is one of the few bright spots for them.

If JT wants to win, he will leave. If he wants to win and get money, he will leave. If he wants money and is willing to not win for the sake of ____, then he will stay.

If he wants to win and make money, there is no better situation than STL for him. Does that mean he’s for sure or even likely to come here? No. But I don’t see any other team other than NYI that really has an advantage over STL. The question is “how big is that adavantage?”. I’m on the side that says it’s less than people think given NYI’s inability to ice a contender of the length of his ELC, and his current bargain contract.

Bout that....the Isles are kinda good at hockey. They need a goalie, and I could see Fleury actually being moved

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Tavares, Barzal, and Leddy are good at hockey. The fact is that they are not a good team, and unless Tavares is there, that team is awful with not a lot in the pipeline. They have to overpay for FAs, and getting Fleury would be big, but he’s going to cost. After moving pieces to acquire a better goalie, and after paying Tavares a max deal, they aren’t any better off in the future then they are now - they’re likely worse.

Their division is only going to get better, and they are likely to only get worse. Ladd is an anchor, Boychuk is declining heavily, and, again, they aren’t a cap team and the cap is only going to get higher.

A stadium that will be completed in time for the 20-21 season isn’t going to sway a guy that has to play in Barclay’s for 3 years of an 8 year deal. By then he will be 30, and I doubt NYI becomes a legit contender in less than 3 years.

 

[PiggySmalls]

Tavares’ next demand should be the Isles find someone who can actually stop a puck. Their goalies are awful.

 

[mw2noobbuster]

Tavares’ next demand should be the Isles find someone who can actually stop a puck. Their goalies are awful.

Yet they always seem to become a brick wall against us.

 

[Stealth JD]

Was never so hopeful for a soccer team in Belmont, NY.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

I don’t buy that JT was just waiting in a new building. NYI has no future and currently are stuck in limbo. Barzal is one of the few bright spots for them.

If JT wants to win, he will leave. If he wants to win and get money, he will leave. If he wants money and is willing to not win for the sake of ____, then he will stay.

If he wants to win and make money, there is no better situation than STL for him. Does that mean he’s for sure or even likely to come here? No. But I don’t see any other team other than NYI that really has an advantage over STL. The question is “how big is that adavantage?”. I’m on the side that says it’s less than people think given NYI’s inability to ice a contender of the length of his ELC, and his current bargain contract.

Even after Tavares signs an extension, I'm going to believe he wants to come to St Louis and is being held against his will. And if he raises the cup as a NYI, I'm going to believe he feels hollow inside that he didn't do it as a Blue.

 

[Brian39]

Tavares, Barzal, and Leddy are good at hockey. The fact is that they are not a good team, and unless Tavares is there, that team is awful with not a lot in the pipeline. They have to overpay for FAs, and getting Fleury would be big, but he’s going to cost. After moving pieces to acquire a better goalie, and after paying Tavares a max deal, they aren’t any better off in the future then they are now - they’re likely worse.

Their division is only going to get better, and they are likely to only get worse. Ladd is an anchor, Boychuk is declining heavily, and, again, they aren’t a cap team and the cap is only going to get higher.

A stadium that will be completed in time for the 20-21 season isn’t going to sway a guy that has to play in Barclay’s for 3 years of an 8 year deal. By then he will be 30, and I doubt NYI becomes a legit contender in less than 3 years.

Are we just ignoring that the Islanders have 2 guys in the top 15 in scoring this year that aren't on your list of 'good players'?

Anders Lee had 52 points last year compared to Schwartz's 55 and is currently 15th in scoring. Josh Bailey had 56 last year and is currently tied for 3rd in scoring. They are both very good at hockey. I know you'll say that they are riding the coat tails of Tavares, but if you go down that path you have to acknowledge that Schwartz has a pretty damn good linemate this year. If those two are excluded from the 'good at hockey' list, then there is a pretty good argument to be made that Tarasenko is our only good forward.

The Isle's big issue is that their goaltending is atrocious. They are 2nd in goals for and 2nd to last in goals against. They are dead average in corsi for %, but they have a team save percentage of .892. They are holding a Wild Card spot despite having the worst team SV% in the NHL. Put an average goalie behind that team and they would be comfortably in a playoff spot. There are other issues, but you're acting like they have no talent at all. They have more than $35 mil in cap space to fill 11 roster spots next year, so it isn't like they won't be bleeding players after extending Tavares.

I think the Blues offer a better chance for a Cup, but acting like there is no hope for the Isles ignores the changes they have made to that forward group in the last 2 years.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

A team that relies on Anders Lee and Josh Bailey as Tavares’s best set of wingers to date is a joke - it’s an embarrassment with a 5.5M Tavares and before that an ELC Tavares. Neither are as good as Schwartz. If we’re going to be ridiculous about it, Tavares>>>Schenn, and Schwartz looks better than both Lee and Bailey with an inferior center. Yes, Bailey and Lee are products of John Tavares. If Tavares wants to win, he will need to leave.

Again, does anyone actually think NYI has the money to bring in a good goalie, let alone better wingers? The best they’ve been able bring in during the entirety of Tavares’s “bridge” deal was Okposo (gone), Eberle (playing with Barzal), and Ladd (soon to be LTIRetired). They have very few trade chips, anchor contracts in Ladd and Boychuk, and they don’t play to the cap, which is rising significantly. Then they have to pay Tavares x2 as much as he makes now while waiting on a stadium for three years. Where is the cash and assets to acquire a top-6 winger or two, a good goalie, and pay the bills? They certainly aren’t going to be able to for the first three years of Tavares’s new contract - not while having to wait to get out of the money pit that is Barclay’s. Even when they move to a new stadium, there’s no guarantee they will suddenly start turning a profit - even when not playing to the cap.

Sure they might be a playoff team if they can address the goalie situation, but even then they aren’t close to a contender - and that’s IF they can address the goalie situation. Even after adding a 1G, they are still missing 2 top-4 D (one of which is a 1D), and 1 or 2 top-6 wingers. They just don’t have the money or assets to do that, let alone during the first half of Tavares’s new contract. What FA is going to want to play in Barclay’s for 3 more years to eventually be on a “contender” with a 30 year old Tavares? If Tavares wants to win, he’ll have to go elsewhere.

There are multiple other teams with a brighter future, brighter present, and better financial situation. The only reason Tavares stays is if his loyalty to the team is bigger than any desire he has to win. The money isn’t an object at this point because other teams could match what NYI could offer him. The question then becomes about talent, and affording that additional talent, and NYI doesn’t have it.

I’m not saying he’s leaving, but I am saying the only reason he might stay is loyalty - and I wouldn’t bet on loyalty running that deep twice (he took a huge discount last-time, and they’ve been to the 1st round once, I believe). Is John Tavares going to base his future on something so abstract? Acting like it’s a foregone conclusion that he’s not leaving, even after the stadium deal, seems like a prime candidate for a “well, of course he left” situation in a year’s time. The evidence just points overwhelmingly against it.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

So the stadium is secured, and now management is saying that all along it was “can the Isles win a cup” that has Tavares waiting to re-sign. Of course - the money has always been on the table for JT so he can’t be waiting for anything else. NYI has major holes on the defense with deHaan out, and their goalie situation is worst in the league. Dal Cole can’t stick, and Ho-Sang is having major growing pains.

I’m not saying he’s comi here, but I would say he is more likely to leave NYI than he is to stay in NYI.

 

[Evocable Manager]

So the stadium is secured, and now management is saying that all along it was “can the Isles win a cup” that has Tavares waiting to re-sign. Of course - the money has always been on the table for JT so he can’t be waiting for anything else. NYI has major holes on the defense with deHaan out, and their goalie situation is worst in the league. Dal Cole can’t stick, and Ho-Sang is having major growing pains.

I’m not saying he’s comi here, but I would say he is more likely to leave NYI than he is to stay in NYI.

This is the National Hockey League.

John Tavares isn't going anywhere. He's an Islander.

 

[Dbrownss]

This is the National Hockey League.

John Tavares isn't going anywhere. He's an Islander.

Im just going to quote this instead of liking it.

The islanders have a rediculous offense and enough pieces to secure a back-end. I dont see any reason why JT leaves that team.

 

[Bluesguru]

This thread title should read "Impossible Dream - Tavares to STL", because there's no way this will ever happen.

 

[Stealth JD]

This thread title should read "Impossible Dream - Tavares to STL", because there's no way this will ever happen.

This thread isn’t about Tavares coming to STL. It’s for the speculation around his future, wherever that may be, NYI included.

 

[Ranksu]

I hope JT Saga ends soon so this thread can Be closed.

 

[Majorityof1]

I hope JT Saga ends soon so this thread can Be closed.

What does it matter if this thread is open or closed? It is clearly marked, and you clearly know what it is about as you continuously complain about it. If you don't like it, don't read it. Its that simple. Some people obviously want to discuss it. Its better that they do so here rather than have it filter throughout the trade thread since it obviously upsets people to a great extent.

 

[Dbrownss]

Was watching NHL network and they've said there still are no talks between JT and the Islanders. Ive heard from several of the writers that its likely he's going to test FA and see whats out there. We'll see i guess.

 

[Stealth JD]

Was watching NHL network and they've said there still are no talks between JT and the Islanders. Ive heard from several of the writers that its likely he's going to test FA and see whats out there. We'll see i guess.

If that is the case...the Isles really, really need to consider trading him at the deadline. They’d get a haul.

 

[Dbrownss]

If that is the case...the Isles really, really need to consider trading him at the deadline. They’d get a haul.

I just see it as a Stamkos situation. Unless the Islanders are on the outside looking in, no way they move him.

 

[carter333167]

This thread title should read "Impossible Dream - Tavares to STL", because there's no way this will ever happen.

Cue Dizee's " I made an accurate prediction" proclamation in 3,2,1. Candidly, many posters thought there was never much of a chance but discussion forums are for discussion so....

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

This guy thinks there is a huge chance, and a fair chance he goes to STL if the first happens.

But instead of a Lehterasenkshow Prediction Thread, I want a thread listing all the times everyone else was wrong - ever.

 

[simon IC]

This guy thinks there is a huge chance, and a fair chance he goes to STL if the first happens.

But instead of a Lehterasenkshow Prediction Thread, I want a thread listing all the times everyone else was wrong - ever. The only issue is I won’t be able to see half of it because of my block settings.

Lol, be careful what you wish for! There are posters here who's raison d'etre seem to be proving that they were right, and everyone else was wrong. No matter how long ago.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Some men just wanna watch the world burn.

 

[stl76]

I really wonder how much the possibility of getting into the HOF affects contract decisions for active players. Seems like players who play their entire career with 1 team, especially as captains, are held in higher regard when it comes time to vote for the Hall. Pure speculation on my part, but I get the feeling that eventual induction into the HOF would impact Tavares' thinking on re-signing with the isles. He seems like the type of guy who really cares about his legacy.

If that is the case...the Isles really, really need to consider trading him at the deadline. They’d get a haul.

I think it's possible (if not probable) that Tavares wants to see what's out there in FA, he would be crazy to not be at least curious. But regardless of the contract situation, I just don't see a scenario in which Tavares is traded at the TDL. Tavares would basically have to say, "there is zero chance I will re-sign," which every possible piece of evidence we have contradicts. If there is even a 1% chance of Tavares re-signing and Snow trades Tavares at the TDL, then he is gone as GM is the isles IMO. Career over. But I have been wrong before and I'll be wrong again, so yeah.

 

[Stealth JD]

don't look now, but the Isles have won 3 of their past 10 and are currently 7th in the division, two points ahead of a Carolina team that has played two fewer games than the Isles.

I'm not saying the Isles should trade Tavares...or would even consider it. But, the Isles should consider trading Tavares. Free John Tavares from a life sentence in Rikers Long Island...err Brooklyn...err...Churchill Downs...or whatever barn the Islander's management can find for their mess of a franchise.