2019-2020 New York Islanders thread

winning is satisfying to all players, but success isn’t guaranteed anywhere (other than Durant to Golden State but that’s a factor of the dynamics of basketball which I don’t think hockey replicates. The Stanley Cup playoffs are just too difficult) so I don’t think if he goes to the Leafs or Lightening it’s because he thinks they can be more succesful. If he leaves the Islanders I think it will be because he simply doesn’t want to be on the team anymore, perhaps because of past frustrations or another emotional reason like to play with his buddy or play in his hometown. I don’t think it will be driven by an idea that success elsewhere is more of a guarantee.

 

I disagree with that. Unless he doesn't like playing for the Islanders, which I have not read but maybe, I would assume his reason for leaving is due to having a better chance to win. Like @Red Menace said, the Maple Leafs and Lightning are great options but mostly due to being so close to winning. They are much closer than the Islanders. He would be forfeiting a guaranteed year on his contract too so I think it would be because he wants to win. Winning the Cup definitely isn't guaranteed, but thinking he has a better chance elsewhere (and faster) makes sense.

 

Didn’t he grow up outside of Toronto?

The nationalistic draw to playing for what I’m guessing is the true national team of Canada must be incredible, bring a cup back to the Leafs, especially if he was a childhood fan?

 

I disagree. Not to simply repeat myself but joining a new team doesn’t guarantee success for Tavares. I know that wasn’t what you were saying explicitly but if he leaves because he thinks he be more likely than less likely to be more succesful elsewhere then it’s not unreasonable to consider that some idea of guaranteed success. But future success is an unknown. Sure, on paper it always looks good, but that’s only for gamblers and prognosticators. The chance for greater success is ultimately 50/50 year in and year out because there are only two factors to judge that by — did you win more or win less? He can objectively be wrong in his decision if that’s the criteria and I don’t think that would likely drive such a decision.

We’ve all changed jobs, and we do so for purely emotional reasons — we think we will be happier at the new job. The pay raise will make us happier; the increased responsibility will make us happier; the progression of our career will make us happier.

Since success isn’t guaranteed changing teams solely for more success can’t make him happy. Only an emotional reason can — to okay with his friend, in his hometown, facing a new challenge, etc. Point is happiness can only be achieved in his decision by something that exists. Since success doesn’t actually exist he couldn’t be happy with leaving the Isles until after the season. That runs contrary to what people generally move jobs for — happiness.

 

I disagree! Just kidding, yeah that is true. There are many factors. Not just winning or the potential to win. I didn't know he was from Toronto like @Rollo Tomassi said. That could be a factor for sure.

 

I view the Sharks as a bigger threat than the Leafs. JT apparently dislikes the media spotlight from what I've read and in the hockey world Toronto is as bright as the spotlight gets. In San Jose he has much the same situation as on the Islanders. Sure hockey fans will know him, but the pressure of the media in that city will be little to none.

 

I agree, and that's why I expressed my somewhat pessimistic views a few days ago. If he likes being in a hockey hotbed (which the New York metro area is) the Leafs are a much better team than the Islanders; if he likes not being the primary focus of sports media where he is (which the Islanders aren't) the Sharks are a much better team than the Islanders. Just about the only things keeping him here would be emotional - loyalty to the organization, his family being comfortable in their living situation, the appeal of being the guy who led the team to the promised land. The only objective advantage the Isles have is that they can offer one more guaranteed year on the contract, and in my opinion that won't be the determining factor.

 

Your right, in the grand scheme that one year means very little. The tax situation in Tampa Bay makes it a wash as the lack of some taxes would mean more money in his pocket even if he would take a 7 year contract over an 8 year contract.

I believe Tampa is the team that he will sign with, they just seems to fit with his laid back style.

 

Saying Mississauga is outside of Toronto is like saying Queens is outside of New York.

Going back to Toronto would be like moving to his childhood home.

 

Unlike, say KD leaving the Thunder in which fans had to accept a championship caliber team falling back to a meaningless team, the Isles were mostly bad with Tavares. While that wasn’t because of Tavares, it isn’t as if we will have to accept that our team is going to fall further back in the pursuit of a title because he is leaving. I’d say the Isles could be just as good next year without Tavares as they were last year with him for the improved coaching alone.

I’ll be disappointed if he leaves but from a team standpoint it won’t hurt because I dont think the team will be worse than they were with him (I’m not considering the potential for how much better they could be next year with him as I’m just comparing the potential outcome of his departure to the empirical fact of what the team was with him).

 

Kind of what I meant.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/fansid...tavares-leave-islanders-fired-garth-snow/amp/

While this sounds like someone simply trying to create a discussion, if the choice was Tavares, Snow and Weight or Lamoriello, Trotz and no Tavares, sign me up for the latter.

 

I have a very tough time believing this column, but the choice you're stating is a complete no brainer. The Islanders already know what a Tavares / Snow / Weight combination looks like, and it's not even making the playoffs. If Tavares is stupid enough to think that the team is worse with Lamiorello / Trotz then there's no point in even talking about it - he can move on, and so will the team.

 

The Isles lose their one objective advantage (being able to offer an extra year on the contract) in less than 25 hours, so you have to think that by now they know whether he's coming back or not (it takes time to formalize a $100 million contract). Not sure if no announcement is a good thing or a bad thing.

 

Yeah, it is getting interesting, to say the least. I wonder what Lou's back-up plan is? Like when Mac had plan B when Cousins signed with the Vikings. They will obviously have plenty of Cap for other FA's or potential trades if Tavares signs elsewhere. I thought he was staying, now I am just as unsure as every other person waiting to see.

 

I thought reports were it was between Toronto and San Jose.

 

I doubt Lou took the job with the idea that he had to have JT back; same with Trotz. There is a benefit to using that cap space on other players. There is a legit concern that an 8 year deal is a 5 year value with three cap fucking years of a player in decline.

Or perhaps I’m just rationalizing because I think JT is gonzo.