Speculation: Where does Tavares end up??

[Instant]

There is

There is nothing to change minds on. It's a hockey board. We are here to discuss hockey. If we all agreed on everything. No one would be posting since we would all know the answers. It's just a game. Nothing to get worked up about.

Oh believe me, it takes more than this to get me even mildly irritated. I work with idiots for a living, it does wonders to one's patience.

Just, you know, try not to be such a Debbie Downer next time. What's wrong with people getting excited about the possibility of Tavares signing with their team? He's a really great player. Not perfect, by any means, but also you're making him to be not worthy or anything. Would you be happy if no one wanted to sign him/no one wanted him to sign with their team?

 

[Kind Sir]

you traded your first round pick for brayden schenn, dude.

Aaaannnnd unloaded a bad contract (Lehtera).

 

[Video Coach]

I'm not counting on it, but here's the Montreal argument:

1. Biggest problem with NYI was D and G: In Montreal, Julien plays a defensive game, anchored by Weber and solidified by Price. Both of those guys have TC connections and he has seen what they can do in big pressure situations. They also have Petry, Mete, Juulsen, so a decent group coming. If they land a top D in this year's draft, all the better.

2. He'd play with good players: Say what you want about Montreal but they are flush with good young forwards that would compliment him well - Drouin, Galchenyuk, Gallagher, Lehkonen, Danault, Hudon, Scherbak are all 25 or under. He would likely play with Pacioretty and Drouin, that's pretty hard to beat as a top line IMO. Habs biggest problem has been C but if you throw him in there all of a sudden the team looks a lot better, plus they have another good C coming in Poeling.

3. They can pay him: If he chooses Montreal he can match Price's contract or he could ask for quite a bit more, I think Montreal has a blank cheque ready with his name on it.

I'm not saying there aren't holes in this argument or that he's likely to come, I actually think St Louis makes a lot of sense, but how good is their goaltending? Price really is the Habs' ace card. Tavares would instantly make the Habs a lot better and there are enough young guys and vets around that the team could be competitive throughout his entire contract. With 4 x 2nd rounders this year and a top 8 pick coming you'd have to think the prospect cupboard is about to be in much better shape very soon.

 

[Fogelhund]

My order of likeliness

NYI
STL
VGK
NJ
SJ

I'm a habs fan, no way he comes here. If he wants to be in a messy organization, he'll just stay put (I do think that he'll stay not because the organization is messy obviously, but because I'm not sure he wants to leave an environment that he knows. He might also have seen punctual positive signs this year, especially with Barzal. Maybe if Snow commits to getting a goaltender who can stop a puck here and there could help as well). He has absolutely no incentive to come to Montreal; the team is in shambles, no notable prospects that ocould make the jump within years and 2 of the last 3 seasons were a disaster, the other season ended in a very disappointing 1st round elimination. Furthermore, any offer made by Montreal, another team will find a way to match; that other team will probably be better than the Canadiens and in an area where he will be taxed as much or less. Add to that the fact that Price has been piling the significant injuries for a couple of years now and Weber will be 33 at the beginning of next season also coming back from a long term injury, so whose to say how he'll look in September? Much uncertainty around the team's biggest profile players. No reason to come over whatsoever.

I might go;

NYI
VGK
STL
TOR
NJ
SJ

Pretty close, but minor adjustments.

I'm a Toronto Fan, who thinks it wouldn't be a good idea to sign JT, that the money should be spent on D upgrades, but then, he's a star, he's from Oakville, and his new wife is from Oshawa. So, I can't discount it completely that they will go after him, and that there could be mutual interest.

 

[Marlo Stanfield]

Isles aside, I'd put SJ, STL, Vegas (in no order) as legit options for him. Darkhorse of Carolina IMO

 

[TheGoldenGod]

The Blues are what the Lightning were last year. Team riddled with injuries all year that make a push late season for a playoff seed and possibly come up short. Retool and get healthy over the offseason. Sign JT or make a few hockey trades to upgrade their current roster.

Blues aren't going away that easy. Not with this core.

 

[TK 421]

you traded your first round pick for brayden schenn, dude.

2 1st's in exchange for dumping Lehtera and getting a far better player in Schenn who has been great this year in the 1C role. When you draft outside the 1st rd as well as the Blues have you don't need to wring your hands worrying about draft picks yet to be made. Parayko(86th in 2012) , Edmundson(46th in 2011) and Dunn(56th in 2015) are all playing top 4 along with Pietrangelo. That means the Blues managed to draft their entire top 4 and it's amongst the best projected and current top 4's in the league.

Fabbri coming back, Thomas as 3C with potentially another RW slot opened up for one of Kyrou, Kostin or Thompson. That's a ton of quality young talent available all at the same time.

So some teams may really sweat a decision like giving up 1st's but the Blues are a team that clearly benefited from that type of deal in the short term and having the amateur scouting group they do aren't hurt by it long term either.

 

[David Suzuki]

Only way he comes to Mtl is if he cares about the extra 2 million a year Mtl might throw at him. Does not seem the type for this to matter so I'd say St Louis.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Oh believe me, it takes more than this to get me even mildly irritated. I work with idiots for a living, it does wonders to one's patience.

Just, you know, try not to be such a Debbie Downer next time. What's wrong with people getting excited about the possibility of Tavares signing with their team? He's a really great player. Not perfect, by any means, but also you're making him to be not worthy or anything. Would you be happy if no one wanted to sign him/no one wanted him to sign with their team?

Thanks for the advice, but I will continue to post as I see fit. Try not to forget this is just a hockey board. Everyone is entitled an opinion whether they agree with it or not.

 

[Instant]

Thanks for the advice, but I will continue to post as I see fit. Try not to forget this is just a hockey board. Everyone is entitled an opinion whether they agree with it or not.

Don't patronize me. I'm not getting worked up, I'm not forgetting this is a hockey forum. I'm just disagreeing with you and it seems like you have a problem with that, not me.

And that was a serious question. What would make you happy? People not wanting Tavares to sign with their teams? Or if he was worth less money?

 

[Deadly Dogma]

He is in no way going to my Leafs. I would be surprised if we even make an offer.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Don't patronize me. I'm not getting worked up, I'm not forgetting this is a hockey forum. I'm just disagreeing with you and it seems like you have a problem with that, not me.

And that was a serious question. What would make you happy? People not wanting Tavares to sign with their teams? Or if he was worth less money?

Nope I have no problem with Isles fans wanting Tavares back. Infact I stated this in my post above earlier this morning. Absolutely no problem with this. I understand attachment to homegrown players. Maybe this is why my assessment is more impartial. I am not an Isles fan, you are. I only comment what I see on the ice. Isles fans will know I have been nothing but complimentary to Barzal. Players play well I will say so. When they don't I will point this out too.

 

[SenatorFrank]

He was talking about Carolina

You missed the point. I'm saying Mtl isn't gonna be the team with the best offer

 

[Deadly Dogma]

You missed the point. I'm saying Mtl isn't gonna be the team with the best offer

My old man was telling me that with the cap increase the Habs have around 15 mil to go after 2 guys. I personally feel the Habs are the current front runner.

 

[Jay haller]

Toronto.

 

[Jay haller]

He is in no way going to my Leafs. I would be surprised if we even make an offer.

Except he is. As they will get salary (free amnesty buyouts) to help after next work stoppage in 2020. If he doesn’t prove he’s the the contract

 

[topshelf15]

TBH ,he should just stay on the ISL ....With some help on D and some far better goaltending ,they could be a playoff team next season...They have the offense

 

[Deadly Dogma]

Toronto.

As a guy who lives and breathes the Leafs I just can't see it at all. With Stammer it was a different time and we didn't know what we had in the roster at that time. Now we have an idea where these kids are going to end up. That means that there is a chance that by the 3rd yr of the contract he will be our 3c. 9-10 mil for a 3c hurts.

 

[SenatorFrank]

My old man was telling me that with the cap increase the Habs have around 15 mil to go after 2 guys. I personally feel the Habs are the current front runner.

And how does your old man think the cap rise affects team who aren't struggling with cap issues?

He will get max contract and term from some teams and use that as leverage. He's not signing with scrubs, he'll just stay in Long Island if that's the case.

 

[Jay haller]

As a guy who lives and breathes the Leafs I just can't see it at all. With Stammer it was a different time and we didn't know what we had in the roster at that time. Now we have an idea where these kids are going to end up. That means that there is a chance that by the 3rd yr of the contract he will be our 3c. 9-10 mil for a 3c hurts.

By that time they just buy him out with a amnesty buyout from the 2020 work stoppage.

 

[Starat327]

you traded your first round pick for brayden schenn, dude.

...who turned out to be a 65 ish point center for them. I fail to see the downside in that.

 

[Deadly Dogma]

And how does your old man think the cap rise affects team who aren't struggling with cap issues?

Obviously other teams also receive a similar benefit but I feel that the Habs have prob the most publicized need and IMO J.T can affect the biggest change on the Habs. Or if the Habs win the Lottery it may be the 1st time in a while we see a 1st OA traded.

 

[Wingsfan 4 life]

Islanders. I think it plays out like Stamkos where he makes it to the later stages of the FA interview period before ultimately re-signing.

 

[Starat327]

Obviously other teams also receive a similar benefit but I feel that the Habs have prob the most publicized need and IMO J.T can affect the biggest change on the Habs. Or if the Habs win the Lottery it may be the 1st time in a while we see a 1st OA traded.

If the Canadiens get the first overall, Bergevin should be immediately fired so he doesn't have the opportunity to make the dumb decision of trading it.

 

[SoulDynasty]

Obviously other teams also receive a similar benefit but I feel that the Habs have prob the most publicized need and IMO J.T can affect the biggest change on the Habs. Or if the Habs win the Lottery it may be the 1st time in a while we see a 1st OA traded.

The problem with the Habs are the same thing but worse than the Islanders. If Tavares wants a chance to be on a good team and make it to the playoffs, he is not including the Habs on his short list. If he doesn’t care about the playoffs, he’s most likely going to stick with the Islanders. Why upheave your life to go to a worse environment?