If Tavares doesn't resign with NYI, which team is his most likely destination?

[firstemperor]

Yea I'm not sure why he'd go with Montreal, he has no attachment to the city, language barrier, and QC income tax at his bracket is supposedly the highest (or near the top) in the league.

Not to mention the team has some aging core veterans (Weber, Price) on enormous deals. And not a great pipeline of prospects to boot. They have some young dynamic talent like Drouin, perhaps Lehkonnen but a far cry from other teams.

On the other hand, Canes have a stronger youthful D core/top pairing in Slavin, Pesce...Hanifin/Faulk, and guys like Fleury/Bean knocking on the door.

Offensively, Staal is one of the most underrated top 6 C's in the game. Lindholm continues to improve, so going there will provide him plenty of strong options on secondary lines. And a strong pipeline of forward prospects as well- Necas, Aho, Skinner to name a few.

Lastly, all of the Cane players are signed on great deals as well and they can fill their roster with even more talent if they signed Tavares.

I'm not advocating he goes to the Canes either, in fact, I would say its unlikely. But I'm not sure why fans think Habs are the go-to option besides wishful thinking.

I still think there's a 70% chance NYI offers him the moon and he stays.

The other 30% is probably spread out between the FLA, Cali teams, Rangers, maybe Dallas (state tax, weather) and keeping it in the north east- outside chance to Boston, Toronto (unlikely they even field an offer but I'm sure he'd have interest like Stamkos).

What about STL?

I wouldn't rule them out completely but I wouldn't put them as favourites (outside of the obvious in NYI). The fit would be good though.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Yeah. UFA

Montreal is likely to "want" him the most. They need a #1 center more than any other team/for longer, or just about.

They also can pay a lot.

Montreal also has a lot of positives for a UFA (big hockey market - Carey Price).

So a good fit. UFA.

I'd be extremely surprised if Tavares does anything outside of Islanders or UFA. I can't see the isles trading him. I'd think it more likely to be like Stamkos. UFA or nothing. And in such a case, i'd think Montreal has decent chances.

Yep, star players and the city of Montreal should be incentive enough for Tavares if Montreal pursues him as a FA. If you are a great player, you are idolized there like no other place in hockey.

Here is what Subban said: There is no place like being a player in a city with so much history in hockey like Montreal.

"I'm very honored and happy to know that in the Mecca of hockey, fans still support me and are behind me," Subban said. "It's a great feeling."

"Obviously I look forward to playing in a building in front of fans that I played in for so long, played some big games in, had some fun games," Subban said. "Probably the thing I look forward to the most is hopefully Madame Beliveau there."

That would be Elise Beliveau, the widow of Jean Beliveau who loved wearing her Subban jersey to Canadiens games.

"To wear that jersey is an honor," Subban said. "There's no ice in the building right now, it's covered up, but you don't have to see the ice to know what this building means. You just look up in the rafters and see the names and the jerseys. That's what it's about. That's why we play the game, it's for the history, and we want to be a part of that history. And we are a part of it."

Subban is indeed a part of Canadiens history, and will always remain so.

https://www.nhl.com/news/predators-pk-subban-honored-in-return-to-montreal/c-287287900

 

[The List Of Jericho]

I'm gonna say he ends up in Buffalo if not NY, uncle is a folk hero there and I think they have a great chance at signing him.

 

[Menzinger]

I see no evidence from last season that Weber's best days are behind him. This may be more wishful thinking as opposed to reality. If Weber was 38 and didn't take care of himself, you may have a point. But he is just turned 32, and for D men this is still the prime years in his career.

Even without breaking down his defebsive game, offensively his numbers are well below his peak seasons.

He's a very good player still, no argument there. But he's not quite the player he was.

 

[jw2]

Islanders
Detroit
Rangers
Toronto

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Even without breaking down his defebsive game, offensively his numbers are well below his peak seasons.

He's a very good player still, no argument there. But he's not quite the player he was.

There is nothing wrong with his defensive game I doubt you even watched a great number of Habs games last season. The facts are he was on a .538 PPG 44 point season, his career average is .576 PPG 47 point season. A mere difference of 3 points over 82 games. This is not an example of a massive drop off of offensive numbers. It may just be due to him playing with a new team. You have no tangible evidence other than a generalization probably because he turned 32 weeks ago to pass a false narrative that he is an aging player past his prime.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Yea I'm not sure why he'd go with Montreal, he has no attachment to the city, language barrier, and QC income tax at his bracket is supposedly the highest (or near the top) in the league.

Not only does he have no attachment to the city of Montreal, but he also grew up in Toronto as a Leafs fan. He wasn't drafted by the Habs like Subban and therefore has no existing loyalty, and he's a star with choices and won't depend on the generosity of the Habs in particular to make a living the way a third liner maybe would. The rivalry isn't what it used to be, but it's enough to keep him away from Montreal unless they grossly overbid other teams.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

at all the Toronto votes. Well, that and

 

[DaveG]

Carolina or St Louis. MAYBE Nashville, but I see the Canes and Blues as the two teams that are in the best position asset wise and cap wise long-term to go out and add a guy like Tavares and pay him what it would take.

Montreal has the cap space to get him but not the assets. Can't see him going from the Isles to the Rangers. And I don't think Toronto will have the long-term cap room without giving up one of their Big 3.

 

[Voight]

Depends if he cares more about money, or winning, and my sense is its the latter.

Columbus would be my bet. Great management, respectable coach and one helluva young core. Tavares would slot in as 1 C, then you have Wennberg as a solid #2 and the cap space to improve even more. He'd have the certainty of the teams two best defenceman tied to the team for at least half his contract.

I can't wait till he doesn't sign in Montreal

 

[HighNote]

Depends if he cares more about money, or winning, and my sense is its the latter.

Columbus would be my bet. Great management, respectable coach and one helluva young core. Tavares would slot in as 1 C, then you have Wennberg as a solid #2 and the cap space to improve even more. He'd have the certainty of the teams two best defenceman tied to the team for at least half his contract.

I can't wait till he doesn't sign in Montreal

I agree that he is likely more interested in winning. You would think he'd have to be more interested in winning than the money because no matter what team he goes to, he will be making a ton of money. He just needs to decide if he wants to make a lot of money and be on a winning team, or make a lot of money and stay loyal to a not so good team.

In my opinion, and it's been said from a couple sources, money isn't a big factor. I think the 2 big factors are winning and loyalty.