You can’t help but feel bad for the New York Islanders.
In dramatic fashion, their 2009 first overall pick John Tavares basically waited until the last minute to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. As a result, the Isles are now left without a captain and are arguably the furthest team away from winning a Stanley Cup.
This whole Tavares situation COULD have worked out a lot better in the Isles’ favour. They at least could have gotten a huge return if they had traded him at the deadline to a contending team ready to win a Cup. Tavares addressed the situation with Islanders media members and stated why he didn’t inform the team that he’d be moving beforehand.
“At that time, I had no feelings for playing for another team. I was invested in playing for the Islanders. I wanted to keep my focus on the ice.” Just some devastating words to hear from an Islanders fan’s perspective.
Although things could have played out differently, it’s tough to really blame JT for his decision. The 27-year-old will now be able to play out his career with his childhood team and join a far more stacked lineup in Toronto. So, sorry Isles fans, but this decision was almost a no-brainer.
You’ve gotta respect the Isles for trying to keep their captain, but they ultimately lost in the worst way possible. Watching Tavares play in a Leafs sweater will hurt Islanders fans for a long, long time.
(H/T r/Hockey)
