This whole situation reminds me of parents who argue constantly and are on brink if divorce and forget to pay attention to what there kids are going through and they eventually run away and then realize what they've done! Islanders ownership, management had nearly a decade to build a solid core around Tavares but failed! Between botched arena situations, an owner (Wang) and GM (Snow) who clearly never had a clue how to build a solid hockey team! All while this was going on, Tavares slowly fell out of love with his organization, grew frustrated and finally gave em the finger! He was probably given empty promises over the years but it amounted to nothing. Only when he left or was on the brink of it, ownership finally realized what they have done! Here he was, in the prime of his career, his team spinning its wheels. I agree to the fact that maybe he should've said something a week before free agency but it's done now! Islanders had years to build a team and they failed! He didn't owe them anything in the end! If the Leafs aren't careful, Matthews is going to do the same thing to them!
- NewfieStud

Of course Leafs fans are going to try to place all blame on isles mgmt. The problem is that if they accept that Tavares is 50% to blame then they have to accept that the info that keeps coming out really shows that JT lacks character and that is the guy they now have in their locker room.

Getting a new arena built for him, getting a HOF coach and GM for him, allowing him to control the entire narrative of his career and pending free agency is more than any organization would ever do for any player not named Lebron. Tavares basically was given the keys to the organization and screwed them.

Karma's a female dog though. We are better off without him and unless he wins a cup in the next 7 years, his legacy is how he screwed over an entire franchise for nothing.

The stakes couldn't be higher for Jump-Ship Johnny: Win a cup with Toronto or your reputation is forever tarnished.
- rickyd39

How magnanimous of management. Was JT getting a cut of the luxury boxes, too?

The athlete makes the sacrifice for a career that has only so many years of peak performance so in the end he took advantage of his rights.

If the fans feel jilted, what about the athlete who constantly gets cleared to play by the team, forced into the lineup to fulfill his contract only to end his career with an injury. The players are asserting their rights now and JT played the game he loved on the Island while the owners kept it afloat for a sale.

Whether fans like it or not, there is a lot going on.

I hated to see him go, but wish him luck.

Hockey is a business. Players are contractors. Under those contracts, players have options.

I understand the sentiment expressed... I imagine that if the Jets were to one day lose Laine under similar circumstances, I'd be bent too.

I feel bad for the Islanders, but I imagine they'll be fine.

C'mon.... What did you really expect?

Rewind to July 2017

Reporter: Hey JT, Whats the status of your contract extension, You gonna re-sign with the NYI?

JT: Well, we'll see.... I'm tired of the rudderless direction of this franchise... I mean, Probably NOT, but we'll see what management does this season and go from there

Take a minute and imagine what the season for JT would have been like had he been HONEST.... You got "Hockey Speak" because (and it's your own fault) reporters don't allow players to be honest, hence they get burned for it

ACTIONS will always be louder than words. His ACTIONS were always clear. He wanted his options wide open, and after another disappointing season (which was clear as day by the All Star break) it should have been crystal clear to the Islanders Owner, Management, coaches and players what was LIKELY to happen and they should have acted accordingly

Islanders were acting the part of a pathetic Beta Male waiting by the phone on a Friday Night because a girl SAID that she'd call him

Tavares stated many times his intention was to stay with the Islanders. He said it every time he was asked. Talked often about how greatest players stayed with on Franchise their whole career. He even talked about being born in Toronto but he is now From Long Island.

No one would have blamed him for wanting to help his Home team finally win a cup. no one would have been upset with him saying he wanted to test free agency. The issue was when Asked Last summer because they were thinking of moving him if he wouldn't sign what was offered (10 mill a year 8 year extension).
They asked him again in December when the Arena situation was done.. offered a contract again and he said he intended to stay an Islander will can talk about the contract after the season.
They asked him again at the Trade Deadline and he said.. let's worry about the playoff push.. I intend to stay an Islander. ...

Any of those times would have been OK to say.. " Hey, I am going to test free agency."

It's on Garth and owners for being stupid enough to believe him.. but it's certainly on him for lying... Often... over and over again to anyone who asked.

The athlete makes the sacrifice for a career that has only so many years of peak performance so in the end he took advantage of his rights.

If the fans feel jilted, what about the athlete who constantly gets cleared to play by the team, forced into the lineup to fulfill his contract only to end his career with an injury. The players are asserting their rights now and JT played the game he loved on the Island while the owners kept it afloat for a sale.

Whether fans like it or not, there is a lot going on.

I hated to see him go, but wish him luck.
- Fan101

Don't forget about the player that signs a contract under market value with a team that was supossed to surround him with talent to win a Stanley Cup

IMAGINE for a minute what JT was told by the Isles management 6 years ago about the type of team they were going to put around him

They SAID all the right things

They SAID they were going to build a winner

They SAID.....

JT ate it up and in the end it was JT that was lied to

C'mon.... What did you really expect?

Rewind to July 2017

Reporter: Hey JT, Whats the status of your contract extension, You gonna re-sign with the NYI?

JT: Well, we'll see.... I'm tired of the rudderless direction of this franchise... I mean, Probably NOT, but we'll see what management does this season and go from there

Take a minute and imagine what the season for JT would have been like had he been HONEST.... You got "Hockey Speak" because (and it's your own fault) reporters don't allow players to be honest, hence they get burned for it

ACTIONS will always be louder than words. His ACTIONS were always clear. He wanted his options wide open, and after another disappointing season (which was clear as day by the All Star break) it should have been crystal clear to the Islanders Owner, Management, coaches and players what was LIKELY to happen and they should have acted accordingly

Islanders were acting the part of a pathetic Beta Male waiting by the phone on a Friday Night because a girl SAID that she'd call him
- RoloTahmasee

big difference in this crap you wrote and JT talking over and over again about Being a Long Islander now.... finish my career here like all the great players do with one team... blah blah blah.

[quote=jimmc7722]

That very well could happen but at least the Leafs are attempting to building a team around him early in his career!

Tavares stated many times his intention was to stay with the Islanders. He said it every time he was asked. Talked often about how greatest players stayed with on Franchise their whole career. He even talked about being born in Toronto but he is now From Long Island.

No one would have blamed him for wanting to help his Home team finally win a cup. no one would have been upset with him saying he wanted to test free agency. The issue was when Asked Last summer because they were thinking of moving him if he wouldn't sign what was offered (10 mill a year 8 year extension).
They asked him again in December when the Arena situation was done.. offered a contract again and he said he intended to stay an Islander will can talk about the contract after the season.
They asked him again at the Trade Deadline and he said.. let's worry about the playoff push.. I intend to stay an Islander. ...

Any of those times would have been OK to say.. " Hey, I am going to test free agency."

It's on Garth and owners for being stupid enough to believe him.. but it's certainly on him for lying... Often... over and over again to anyone who asked.
- niteislander

Who asked him? Reporters? Whats he supposed to say? How would EVERY media session gone had he said what you suggest?

It's up to management to sniff out the truth. When he didn't sign in July 2017 the onus was on them to move him

JT can say anything he wants. He doesn't owe some 2 bit hack reporter a glimpse into his thoughts. These are the same hacks that never hesitate to cut up a player for a few hits on an article. These hacks are the reason you will never get honesty out of players

What was JT supposed to say? "I have been here for 9 years. In that time, the owners have not gotten me a competent Front Office. The uncompetant FO hasn't gotten me any Stars to play with, No center depth behind me to take the load off, and no blue line help, and no franchise goalie. So while I took a 5Mil dollar pay cut in disquise as a "bridge-deal" for our franchise, the franchise didn't do one single thing that could be construed as a good move to help me....(frank) you New York, Im out"

Tavares stated many times his intention was to stay with the Islanders. He said it every time he was asked. Talked often about how greatest players stayed with on Franchise their whole career. He even talked about being born in Toronto but he is now From Long Island.

No one would have blamed him for wanting to help his Home team finally win a cup. no one would have been upset with him saying he wanted to test free agency. The issue was when Asked Last summer because they were thinking of moving him if he wouldn't sign what was offered (10 mill a year 8 year extension).
They asked him again in December when the Arena situation was done.. offered a contract again and he said he intended to stay an Islander will can talk about the contract after the season.
They asked him again at the Trade Deadline and he said.. let's worry about the playoff push.. I intend to stay an Islander. ...

Any of those times would have been OK to say.. " Hey, I am going to test free agency."

It's on Garth and owners for being stupid enough to believe him.. but it's certainly on him for lying... Often... over and over again to anyone who asked.
- niteislander

This sounds like sour grapes. The John gave the Islanders 9 years of his career. They did nothing to help him. The most recent changes they made were too little, too late. They dropped the ball by not surrounding John with a strong supporting cast or a decent starting goaltender. Also playing home games in 2 different buildings and practicing at a 3rd arena? Come on... The Isles ownership is to blame here.. not the player.. These late efforts were all last ditch and John had a hard time deciding at the very end because of what a loyal individual he is. It came down to his old home vs his current home. Can't blame a guy no matter which way he goes in that situation...

Of course Leafs fans are going to try to place all blame on isles mgmt. The problem is that if they accept that Tavares is 50% to blame then they have to accept that the info that keeps coming out really shows that JT lacks character and that is the guy they now have in their locker room.

Getting a new arena built for him, getting a HOF coach and GM for him, allowing him to control the entire narrative of his career and pending free agency is more than any organization would ever do for any player not named Lebron. Tavares basically was given the keys to the organization and screwed them.

Karma's a female dog though. We are better off without him and unless he wins a cup in the next 7 years, his legacy is how he screwed over an entire franchise for nothing.

The stakes couldn't be higher for Jump-Ship Johnny: Win a cup with Toronto or your reputation is forever tarnished.
- rickyd39

Dude, you couldn't possibly be more wrong. JT is an absolute class act and you know it.

big difference in this crap you wrote and JT talking over and over again about Being a Long Islander now.... finish my career here like all the great players do with one team... blah blah blah.
- niteislander

Said whatever he had to to keep distractions down and the leeches off of his back

ACTIONS were clear, I saw this going down from my couch almost 3000 miles away. Even the 6 team thing was a stretch. It was Toronto and maybe San Jose had a sliver of a chance if they blew him away

It was ALWAYS going to be the Leafs. The timing couldn't be more perfect for them and for JT

big difference in this crap you wrote and JT talking over and over again about Being a Long Islander now.... finish my career here like all the great players do with one team... blah blah blah.
- niteislander

Actions speak louder than words. It is that trite and that simple.

If a player expresses a willingness to sign but doesn't do so by the trade deadline, then get rid of him. Management owes you, the customer, and should have protected the franchise (and indirectly, you) by getting something for him. Management lost all leverage when the trade deadline passed.

Is JT a fink? I don't know and neither do you, but it doesn't matter.

(frank) John Tavares and you holier than thou Maple Leaf fans

In reality, it was the Islanders that "Said all the Right Things" (Building a contender, surrounding him with players that could help him win a Cup, Stable Franchise, etc) to JT, and they're "Actions" (Having a revolving door, poor drafting, poor coaching, no depth, circus atmosphere) spoke louder then their words.....

Who asked him? Reporters? Whats he supposed to say? How would EVERY media session gone had he said what you suggest?

It's up to management to sniff out the truth. When he didn't sign in July 2017 the onus was on them to move him

JT can say anything he wants. He doesn't owe some 2 bit hack reporter a glimpse into his thoughts. These are the same hacks that never hesitate to cut up a player for a few hits on an article. These hacks are the reason you will never get honesty out of players
- RoloTahmasee

Did I say reporters asked him? No.. THE FRIGGIN ISLANDERS ASKED HIM. That's the big difference. When you flat out lie to the team it screws the team. He specifically asked Snow at the trade deadline NOT to trade him b/c he intended on being an Islander for life.

That is why he is a d-bag. That is why he loses all face in this situation. It's why he becomes the enemy instead of ...."Thanks for a great 9 years John. Sorry, we couldn't get you they right pieces while you were here..."

Actions speak louder than words. It is that trite and that simple.

If a player expresses a willingness to sign but doesn't do so by the trade deadline, then get rid of him. Management owes you, the customer, and should have protected the franchise (and indirectly, you) by getting something for him. Management lost all leverage when the trade deadline passed.

Is JT a fink? I don't know and neither do you, but it doesn't matter.
- Only_A_Ladd

If you were so sure of this then maybe you should have went to Vegas. The Maple leafs were +575 as of last Friday night. You could have made a fortune Nostradamus.

What was JT supposed to say? "I have been here for 9 years. In that time, the owners have not gotten me a competent Front Office. The uncompetant FO hasn't gotten me any Stars to play with, No center depth behind me to take the load off, and no blue line help, and no franchise goalie. So while I took a 5Mil dollar pay cut in disquise as a "bridge-deal" for our franchise, the franchise didn't do one single thing that could be construed as a good move to help me....(frank) you New York, Im out"
- joecool2931

I guess the guy on his wing who scored 40 last year was not a star. (Nor Okposo who got 7 mill a year away which was a HUGE star leaving the isles, Or Bailey, Eberle, etc. etc. etc. )

This guy a star enough?
https://twitter.com/Isles.../1014335209146286085?s=19

When Parise left NJ in the EXACT same manner, Devil’s fans reacted to it in the EXACT same manner, in which Islander fans are reacting right now. I’m not sure how far back Eklund’s archives go, but it would be comical to go back to that time period and see the long term HB Isle’s fans telling us to quit pissing and moaning, and how Parise didn’t owe NJ anything. I bet you could literally capture every name in this thread and see them arguing the exact argument Leafs posters are making today. There is your karma.

Did I say reporters asked him? No.. THE FRIGGIN ISLANDERS ASKED HIM. That's the big difference. When you flat out lie to the team it screws the team. He specifically asked Snow at the trade deadline NOT to trade him b/c he intended on being an Islander for life.

That is why he is a d-bag. That is why he loses all face in this situation. It's why he becomes the enemy instead of ...."Thanks for a great 9 years John. Sorry, we couldn't get you they right pieces while you were here..."
- niteislander

Who said that? The team?

What were THEY supposed to say?

"Ya, We asked JT and he said he's gonna stay. Won't sign a contract though, not sure what that means, but we're just gonna go ahead and believe him I guess"

or

"Ya, We asked JT, He said he's as good as gone but we're gonna hold onto him anyways and hope he changes his mind"

Which one of those scenarios makes the Islanders look competent?

If you can't sniff out the truth when players and management feed you lines that are meant to placate, that's on you

Tired of the "He had No ONE else on the team" crap. Barzal out scored him last year as a rookie with 85 points. Anyone on the Leafs have 70 points? Nope... Lee had 40 goals. Anyone on the leafs have 35 goals? (yeah the guy who just joined the FLyers).

They are a good young team... so were the Isles. He went home b/c his GF got a job there... good for him. I hope he regrets it forever.

If you were so sure of this then maybe you should have went to Vegas. The Maple leafs were +575 as of last Friday night. You could have made a fortune Nostradamus.
- niteislander

That's precisely the point. The Islander's management gambled. Management had a sure thing pre-trade deadline. The player didn't commit after almost a decade of service despite the Islanders being the only club who could offer him 8 years. Management should have moved him for assets, and then moved on with yet anther rebuild. But yeah: they were relying on things he said to reporters, so frank JT.