Why would the Isles not trade him and start over. They are going to have to pay him in excess of 10 million bucks a year for a guy that has won one playoff series in his career. They could not put a team around him while paying him a lesser salary (I know that for a time the Isles wouldn't pay for a team but that hasn't been the case in recent years), what makes them think they will be able to do so while breaking the bank for him. In other words, his cap hit is going to prevent them from putting better pieces around him. In addition, the years on the contract are going to be very high, and he will be 28 this September. I am a Rangers fan, but never understood this "we have to resign" Tavares deal. Would love to be educated on it.
Not to be a jerk, but that is what I heard about Capuano and I think the Islanders were a much better team with him than they have been without him, especially on the defensive end.
Barzal centering the second line with Eberle and Beauvilier/Ladd makes that line dangerous. If Tavares goes and Barzal moves to the top line, they have one line you have to worry about.
Goal is a problem, but they are bad defensively also. They lost DeHaan for the year, Leddy is having an off year, and they are playing a lot of kids that are more offensive-defenesemen than solid defenders. That can (hopefully_ be tightened up next year which should help support the goaltending.
And from a fan perspective, not doing everything you can to re-sign Tavares tells your fan base you are not committed to winning. They are opening a new arena in three years and you need a reason for fans to believe you are committed to winning. Tavares is a huge part of that.
C's are probably the hardest part of that equation to fill.
top 4 D come available, goalies get hot and cold, but the elusive top line center doesn't trade places very often.
this summer the NHL had top 20 centers, here is the list:
McDavid
Crosby
Malkin
Matthews
Backstrom
Tavares
Stamkos
Seguin
Getzlaf
Scheifele
Bergeron
Toews
Kopitar
Eichel
Draisaitl
Johansen
Barkov
Carter
Kuznetzov
Monahan
Of those only three, to the best of my knowledge only Seguin, Johansen and Carter have played on multiple teams.
Seguin was traded as a 21-year old for non-hockey reason (presumably).
Johansen was traded for Seth Jones, a 21 year old top 10 D.
And Carter was traded to CBJ for Jakub Voracek, Sean Coturier, and another player (two all-stars - though one was a 1st round pick).
Point is these guys are so hard to find, you pay them, and keep them except in extreme circumstances.
I don't think the Islanders are an extreme circumstance.
PJ is correct in his well researched post. You don't let elite centers get away. As long as you have he and Barzal there is hope and asses in seats. They have to do it. I just have doubts they can reliably construct a roster around him given the current cap mismanagement.
Two Hart nominations. Came within minutes of a scoring title unti Jamie Benn pulled two empty net goals out of his ass (not bitter). Made a half dozen wingers wildly rich on contracts they couldn't live up to without him.
All they have to show is a first round win over a sunbelt team.
Two Hart nominations. Came within minutes of a scoring title unti Jamie Benn pulled two empty net goals out of his ass (not bitter). Made a half dozen wingers wildly rich on contracts they couldn't live up to without him.
All they have to show is a first round win over a sunbelt team.
A first round win where they got badly outplayed the entire series. Being an isles fan absolutely sucks