Would you feel even the least bit guilty if you were John Tavares?

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Why have UFA to begin with then?

It’s there for a reason and if franchise guys want to leave like other players, that should be their right.

It’s not like JT asked to be drafted by the Isles.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

As a leafs fan, nothing would make me happier than Tavares not giving a f*** about the islanders or their fans, and that he always wanted to play for the leafs. I don't think that's the reality though. He had a difficult choice between two teams he wanted for different reasons and picked what he thought was best. I get being upset, but I don't see anything wrong with what he did

 

[Gh24]

He plays and lives for himself, not for you. Or other fans. I'm sure he misses his teammates from Isles, but let''s be honest. If you were offered that dream job you've always wanted, would you turn it down because of nice customers or great coworkers? Yeah...

 

[Rehabguy]

@Rehabguy
Simply put... no. This whole situation would have been avoided if he didn't feel loyalty toward the Islanders, some desire to stay, and guilt about leaving. If he didn't care about the team and city he could have peaced off into the sunset and not had to walk a tight rope through the process

Then you all could have got your rocks off hating him for wanting out.

If he just I feel guilty about making this move, but its the best decision I am making for me and my family right now. I think we would have all respected that. Instead he posts a picture of himself in Leafs pajamas with no inkling that he had a clue how Islander fans would feel about this.

 

[puckIuck]

only if the leafs fail to win a cup in 7 years and the isles do

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Why the f*** would he care?

He got a lot of money to play at home on a great team. If anything, John Tavares must feel pretty freaking happy right now.

 

[Rehabguy]

As a leafs fan, nothing would make me happier than Tavares not giving a **** about the islanders or their fans, and that he always wanted to play for the leafs. I don't think that's the reality though. He had a difficult choice between two teams he wanted for different reasons and picked what he thought was best. I get being upset, but I don't see anything wrong with what he did

Fair enough.

 

[Rehabguy]

Why the **** would he care?

He got a lot of money to play at home on a great team. If anything, John Tavares must feel pretty freaking happy right now.

That's the problem. He doesn't.

 

[Dave Chung]

Nope he should not, just like people should stop hating on KD. The guys an adult, he can do whatever he wants. He also got 2 rings out of it so haters can keep hating.

 

[crasherino]

He felt bad/guilty for two minutes post-decision. Then he moved on to Toronto and that was that. He's got other things to worry about now. He'll have a pang of emotion when he comes back in February, he'll stomach the boos he'll get (will probably say something along the lines of "I understand why they're upset), will get through that game with whatever it brings and he'll move on once again with his own stuff probably not giving it too much of a thought after that.

 

[easton117]

I think it’s natural to feel a little guilty. Not towards ownership necessarily but to the guys he played with over the years. Fans as well.

I do find the culture of leaving a team in the nhl quite fascinating compared to other sports overall.

You look at Panarin right now who is certainly giving off some strong signals about his intentions. Sort of like Tavares did. Overall it’s very professional though. Very little acting up/out.

Then you look at the NBA and Jimmy Butler right now. I guess you know where he stands but it lacks a bit of professionalism to say the least. Shy of taking a dump at the half court he really couldn’t do much more to tarnish that relationship.

I guess from a management standpoint it’s easier to figure out one over the other. From a fan perspective neither is really ideal.

 

[Advanced stats]

I think that is complete garbage (on the bolded). It's not like they didn't try. Needed better coaching yes, but for most of his tenure he knew the team was in a rebuilding phase.

Needed a better coach,
Better management
Better ownership
Better defense
Better goaltending


They really screwed John after he gave them a discount, in hopes of them building a team.

Honestly the islanders should look back now and say " wow, we f***ed up"

 

[zeke]

looks like he's sleeping soundly.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

That's the problem. He doesn't.

Why would he care though?

Let's say I quit my job tomorrow to go to another company, should I feel bad about the problems it will cause where I am? I certainly will not cripple the company as I am mid-management guy, but it'll cause problems. Should I pass on a great opportunity because my poor ex-company and its employees will suffer a set back for a while? No and it should be the same for a millionaire athlete. It is not because they would be rich wherever that they shouldn't be able to choose where they want to work when they have the chance to.

John Tavares reached free agency and he chose to go home play for a great team while being generously paid for it. Every Islander fan would make the same decision in their work life if they could; they would choose the better situation. Asking Tavares to care about the fate of an organization that he served well for close to 10 years is asanine. They failed to build a winning team around him and, as a result, they lost their best asset. If my CEO does a crappy job, people will leave his company and that's on him. Same standards apply.

 

[Rehabguy]

Do all those posting here think they would have felt any different as a fan if the same thing happened to your team?

 

[Rehabguy]

Why would he care though?

Let's say I quit my job tomorrow to go to another company, should I feel bad about the problems it will cause where I am? I certainly will not cripple the company as I am mid-management guy, but it'll cause problems. Should I pass on a great opportunity because my poor ex-company and its employees will suffer a set back for a while? No and it should be the same for a millionaire athlete. It is not because they would be rich wherever that they shouldn't be able to choose where they want to work when they have the chance to.

John Tavares reached free agency and he chose to go home play for a great team while being generously paid for it. Every Islander fan would make the same decision in their work life if they could; they would choose the better situation. Asking Tavares to care about the fate of an organization that he served well for close to 10 years is asanine. They failed to build a winning team around him and, as a result, they lost their best asset. If my CEO does a crappy job, people will leave his company and that's on him. Same standards apply.

This is all good, but do you think you would have reacted the same way if this happened to your team? Do you understand why Islander fans are upset?

EDIT: I see sports less close to business and more close to band of warriors going to war together. That's how I see it, and that's how I play sports. Getting paid for it is just gravy. If this was about business there is no reason for JT to post himself wearing Maple Leaf pajamas. This had nothing to do with the company JT played for, only the uniform he was wearing.

 

[4thline]

If he just I feel guilty about making this move, but its the best decision I am making for me and my family right now. I think we would have all respected that. Instead he posts a picture of himself in Leafs pajamas with no inkling that he had a clue how Islander fans would feel about this.

To be fair though no one could have predicted how Islanders fans felt and reacted about it. Taking a childhood dream as some sort of personal slight and proof of a dastardly calculated plot is not exactly rational behavior.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Nope. He knew what he was doing.

 

[King In The North]

Do all those posting here think they would have felt any different as a fan if the same thing happened to your team?

Nope. If Tavares played for my team and my team was also the gong show that was Snow/Wang, I'd bear no ill will.

Tavares was loyal and gave it is all. Islanders returned the favour by consistently failing to build a playoff team.

 

[blood gin]

He gave everything to the Isles and they really never gave him the support they needed due to franchise turmoil. There were some high periods but they never really lasted. Not like he didn't give the Isles a chance. He was there 9 years.

In the end he just trusted the Toronto franchise, their resources, their vision of the future over the Isles

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I'd feel guilty, then dry my tears with my $11 million check.

 

[StrangeVision]

This is all good, but do you think you would have reacted the same way if this happened to your team? Do you understand why Islander fans are upset?

EDIT: I see sports less close to business and more close to band of warriors going to war together. That's how I see it, and that's how I play sports.

Professional sports is a business, the sooner you accept that, the better.

 

[srnd9399]

There's nothing he could have done that would have left him in the good graces of Isles fans. Had he been completely honest and said "yes I plan on leaving at free agency" fans would be armed with pitchforks complaining of his disloyalty to their organization.

And for the record I don't believe this was planned. As someone else said, if the Islanders were in a position to challenge for a cup he would have stayed.

The Islanders have some young talent coming up to compliment Barzal. Stop worrying about JT and be thankful that you now have competent management and trending upwards

 

[Advanced stats]

Do all those posting here think they would have felt any different as a fan if the same thing happened to your team?

Everyone deserves a chance to go win. You have one lifetime to go win a cup. If you don't see it happening with your team than you move on. A Stanley Cup is the ultimate goal.

 

[Carltons Cup]

I don't know what's worse - reading the original post or reading about a bad breakup with a girlfriend?