Speculation: Where does Tavares end up??

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

1. I think he stays with the islanders 2. If he leaves he joins stamkos in Tampa

there is no chance in hell Tampa can fit Tavares

they probably can't even keep all the guys on their own roster going forward

 

[Ncit3]

Colorado has tons of cap space, a growing team, and a glaring hole for a C. MacK/JT could be a Crosby/Malkin-lite situation. Let's make it happen.

 

[megajake]

He's going to the Devils. Doesn't have to relocate, can still live in NY, and will have a team with nice pieces around him, including Taylor Hall.

 

[nuck]

there is no chance in hell Tampa can fit Tavares

they probably can't even keep all the guys on their own roster going forward

Not to mention Stamkos took a discount to stay with the club. I don't know what effect JT getting $10M+ would have after the haircut Stammer took as an FA, and then Kucherov's expectations for next year.

 

[Kagomeboy]

He's going to the Devils. Doesn't have to relocate, can still live in NY, and will have a team with nice pieces around him, including Taylor Hall.

I doubt it if he loyal he will go to a team far away form the Islanders.

 

[Kagomeboy]

Not to mention Stamkos took a discount to stay with the club. I don't know what effect JT getting $10M+ would have after the haircut Stammer took as an FA, and then Kucherov's expectations for next year.

Well having no state tax does help ,in why taking a discount.

 

[nuck]

He's going to the Devils. Doesn't have to relocate, can still live in NY, and will have a team with nice pieces around him, including Taylor Hall.

Do you actually think the captain of the Isles would move to another Metro team? That seems pretty cld.

 

[megajake]

Do you actually think the captain of the Isles would move to another Metro team? That seems pretty cld.

Gomez went to the Rangers, Drury went to the Rangers.

 

[Kagomeboy]

Gomez went to the Rangers, Drury went to the Rangers.

That was because Glen Sather overpaid ,also Chris Dury wanted to go there because it was his child hood team.

 

[Doyoulikeapples*]

He asked why would he want to play in MTL. Not what does MTL have that other don't.

Salary aside, Price and Weber are two guys I would 100% love to have on my team. Homer or not, I think this is true.

Okay, but having price and Weber doesn’t separate Montreal from all the other teams who have star players. Habs are a disaster, they have no future and one of the worst gms in the league. That’s not a place a top FA wants to sign in.

 

[nuck]

That was because Glen Sather overpaid ,also Chris Dury wanted to go there because it was his child hood team.

Yes IIRC Gionta had a fight with Lou on his contract around that time, and that was over a lot less than Gomez got. Also he wasn't the clubs captain. Man Buffalo had a 53 win team that year and didn't want to pay them. That is so sad.

 

[gucc]

Everybody is saying he won't sign with certain teams because they're missing important parts, like goaltending, defense, coaching, etc.. But the only teams that have room for him are the teams that have big holes. You can say St Louis has goaltending issues, or SJ has age issues, but they can both afford to sign Tavares and he would be a great fit on both teams. If he wanted to sign on a team that had little issues, say Nashville, they would have to trade away a lot of assets to make room for him to the point where they would dig a hole that would be similar to holes on said teams. Any team Tavares signs with will have some sort of hole in some way. And any team that would want to sign Tavares would obviously be a team willing to compete, and Tavares would make a huge difference in that area.

 

[HabsQC]

Okay, but having price and Weber doesn’t separate Montreal from all the other teams who have star players. Habs are a disaster, they have no future and one of the worst gms in the league. That’s not a place a top FA wants to sign in.

The question was : Why would he want to play in MTL. I gave an answer.

Also everyone says all we need is talent down the middle. Add Tavares and you have a way better team. Maybe Tavares wants to be the #1C and sees himself as the missing link in MTL.

You can't argue tha Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Drouin-Gallagher are all top 6 players.

Weber and Petry both top 4D, while Weber is easily a #1D, despite the facts that he got injured this year and everyone shits on him on HF.

Add Tavares + an OK partner for Weber and we have a playoffs team. And all the other teams that have star players don't necessarily have the cap space.

 

[nuck]

Everybody is saying he won't sign with certain teams because they're missing important parts, like goaltending, defense, coaching, etc.. But the only teams that have room for him are the teams that have big holes. You can say St Louis has goaltending issues, or SJ has age issues, but they can both afford to sign Tavares and he would be a great fit on both teams. If he wanted to sign on a team that had little issues, say Nashville, they would have to trade away a lot of assets to make room for him to the point where they would dig a hole that would be similar to holes on said teams. Any team Tavares signs with will have some sort of hole in some way. And any team that would want to sign Tavares would obviously be a team willing to compete, and Tavares would make a huge difference in that area.

I think there will be some behind the scenes factors. Maybe he has been to a particular city and likes the arena and the lifestyle. Seriously NYI have been playing in a dump for years so that could mean a lot to him. Maybe there are things about living and playing in New York that aren't there in smaller metropolitan areas. Maybe he is sick of winters and wants to go to Florida or Cali or the desert. We can only speculate. The only thing I am sure of is he wont go to a doormat because he is already there. If you are going to leave your friends and connections (all NYC for the last 9 years) it can't be for a lateral opportunity. There needs to be a pretty big carrot because this guy is an Islander first and foremost and that's all he knows.

Everyone is different. I don't know how close Stamkos was to actually moving. Maybe he was just trying to drive up his value or maybe he was almost a Maple Leaf but he didn't want to be the savior to the worst team in the league. He never said. Does JT even want to move or is he just doing some due diligence? On the Nashville thing i am not convinced the Presidents Trophy winner thinks they need to make a major change to win a Cup, same as Tampa or Winnipeg. Maybe a club nobody suspects yet.

 

[Doyoulikeapples*]

The question was : Why would he want to play in MTL. I gave an answer.

Also everyone says all we need is talent down the middle. Add Tavares and you have a way better team. Maybe Tavares wants to be the #1C and sees himself as the missing link in MTL.

You can't argue tha Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Drouin-Gallagher are all top 6 players.

Weber and Petry both top 4D, while Weber is easily a #1D, despite the facts that he got injured this year and everyone ****s on him on HF.

Add Tavares + an OK partner for Weber and we have a playoffs team. And all the other teams that have star players don't necessarily have the cap space.

Adding Tavares makes the habs a bubble team at best. That’s if price goes back to being the best goalie in the world (unlikely).

 

[Doyoulikeapples*]

Everybody is saying he won't sign with certain teams because they're missing important parts, like goaltending, defense, coaching, etc.. But the only teams that have room for him are the teams that have big holes. You can say St Louis has goaltending issues, or SJ has age issues, but they can both afford to sign Tavares and he would be a great fit on both teams. If he wanted to sign on a team that had little issues, say Nashville, they would have to trade away a lot of assets to make room for him to the point where they would dig a hole that would be similar to holes on said teams. Any team Tavares signs with will have some sort of hole in some way. And any team that would want to sign Tavares would obviously be a team willing to compete, and Tavares would make a huge difference in that area.

Vegas.

 

[agentblack]

A megastar to Vegas is gonna taint all their cache’

 

[CBJx614]

If Tavares leaves Isles I do not see him going to a team without a solid D with a PP quarterback type of D and he will not opt for a team without a proven goal-tending duo. There are the slight possibility that his family may convince him to take a discount for his home town team or his agent may advise him on taking the best term ($, term, NMC) but if winning the SC is foremost on his mind, he will pick a team with a stable balanced roster with goalies highly capable of winning the SC, with location and contract terms rounding out his decision. What happens within the next three weeks in the NHL including all complete trades may heavily impact his decisions. I do not think at this stage the draft (order or who got drafted) will have any impact on his decision. I am a big Tavares' fan, but he is not Crosby nor OV. He likely cannot and knows very well that he alone cannot carry a team to the SC final. He would need a solid team, top notch goalie performance with a very strong system to do that. Yes, he has carried his team to the playoff before but the grinding 16 games where opposing team can focus on shutting you down offensively each game will be a tough run for him. He has a good shot but not the type of quick one timers that can break open a game on PP. In fact he need to go to a team that has an elite shooter and a very smart D quartering the back end both on 5 on 5 and PP. I know JT's game, he is strong on stealing pucks in the offensive zone and he has ability to cycle well and set up players in the open or near the net. He plays best with teammates who can onetime the shot accurately or who can consistently get to the front of the net, fight off the D and complete the shots.

I also do not see that he will be the best fit for Toronto as that team's biggest need is on improving their D and I believe their number one focus this summer will be acquiring a true #1 or #2 D via trade or UFA. They have plenty of offensive talents but without key contribution (both offensively and defensively) from the blue line they cannot succeed in the post season, let alone winning the SC.

Columbus has two of those players under 24 and one of them is 7 games shy of 400 games played.

And a vezina goalie behind that D. They've just never had the offense to truly compete.

 

[HabsQC]

Adding Tavares makes the habs a bubble team at best. That’s if price goes back to being the best goalie in the world (unlikely).

Ford 2016 spoke. He only knows the future.

I'm sure you were right about Vegas at this time of the year last year

 

[Doyoulikeapples*]

Ford 2016 spoke. He only knows the future.

I'm sure you were right about Vegas at this time of the year last year

I don’t need to know the future. I just need to look at Montreal’s roster.

 

[HabsQC]

I don’t need to know the future. I just need to look at Montreal’s roster.

A damn lot of people looked at Vegas last year and said something similar.

 

[theghost1]

I don’t need to know the future. I just need to look at Montreal’s roster.

Montreal had four 100 point seasons in the last five coming into this year ...Tavares would make Montreal easily one of the 7 best teams in the NHL.

 

[1specter]

The question was : Why would he want to play in MTL. I gave an answer.

Also everyone says all we need is talent down the middle. Add Tavares and you have a way better team. Maybe Tavares wants to be the #1C and sees himself as the missing link in MTL.

You can't argue tha Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Drouin-Gallagher are all top 6 players.

Weber and Petry both top 4D, while Weber is easily a #1D, despite the facts that he got injured this year and everyone ****s on him on HF.

Add Tavares + an OK partner for Weber and we have a playoffs team. And all the other teams that have star players don't necessarily have the cap space.

I'm sorry but this is a pretty big reach. All of your key players are in the latter stages of their primes or heading for decline (like Weber), the prospect pool is pretty bad, and you don't really have young stars or up and coming elite players to complement Tavares. If Tavares really cares about winning the Cup it's not gonna happen with Montreal, at least not for a good 3-4 years assuming they even try to rebuild the team properly.

 

[1specter]

Montreal had four 100 point seasons in the last five coming into this year ...Tavares would make Montreal easily one of the 7 best teams in the NHL.

But in the last 3 years, Montreal has missed the playoffs 2/3 seasons. They've also lost key players over that time or have had guys decline. Montreal's best hope really is Price reverting back to MVP form and carrying the team, but he's been riddled with injuries and has struggled with inconsistency over the past 2 years.

 

[Traitor Zach]

1. Isles
2. Devils
3. Leafs
4. Bruins
5. Blues

I think he stays with Isles but if he goes to FA, Devils are going to go in supremely heavy in making a pitch. I think he stays locally though or goes home to Toronto.