New York Islanders John Tavares Should Speak Up

John Tavares has more power than he thinks. There are many uncertainties about the New York Islanders, including the absence of a long term arena and the lack of talent up the middle, and if Tavares speaks up, these issues will be resolved.

It seem like there is always drama surrounding the New York Islanders. Right now, the Islanders seem to be preparing for a move while also trying to add talent to a roster that desperately needs it.

And as all fans know, the Islanders are also trying to re-sign John Tavares to a deal that both sides can be happy with. Reportedly, Tavares has not responded to calls from Garth Snow and the Islanders, and according to Arthur Staple, this is because he is uncertain about the current state of the Islanders.

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To accelerate his contract negotiations, Tavares shall demand, and he shall receive.

Tavares Should Pull an Eichel

This offseason has been quite the busy one for the Buffalo Sabres. Like the Islanders, they also need to re-sign their superstar, Jack Eichel, to a contract that will keep him on the team for the foreseeable future.

When starting negotiations, Eichel made it known he was not happy with the direction the Sabres organization was heading. According to various sources, he told Sabres management that he would not re-sign unless coach Dan Blysma and GM Tim Murray were fired.

So what did the Sabres do? They fired Blysma and Murray. While Eichel got a ton of hate for being “a coward,” among other things, the Sabres are now heading in a better direction and will most likely have their star-player on board for the long haul.

If John Tavares wants things to go his way, he should do something similar to what Jack Eichel did. Even though he is a quiet and humble guy, he should let his wishes be heard, and the New York Islanders will be forced to listen up. And if they don’t, they will risk losing their captain.

Potential Wish #1: New York Islanders Can Garth Snow

If John Tavares is not happy with New York Islanders GM Garth Snow, and it is one of the reasons he is reluctant to sign an extension, then he should say so.

This will force Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin to make a decision: whether John Tavares or Garth Snow will remain in the Islanders organization.

The Islanders will choose Tavares, and a new GM can be brought in to get Tavares locked up and help build a roster around him.

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Potential Wish #2: A New Arena

The New York Islanders are already working very hard to clear up their future and make sure that they have a new arena. They are holding hearings to listen to the opinions of fans and working with lawmakers to secure the Isles a new home.

If John Tavares goes to management, however, and tells them he will not re-sign until the Islanders future is known, you can bet the Islanders will work even harder to make strives towards a new arena in Belmont Park.

Once Tavares knows that the Islanders will have a new home, he may decide to re-sign knowing that he will be playing 41 games a year in a state-of-the-art arena in Elmont.

Potential Wish #3: Money

The Islanders and John Tavares have yet to start extension talks. There are rumors that the Islanders are prepared to offer Tavares a blank check, which could lead to Tavares being paid the second most money in the NHL.

While it is unrealistic for Tavares to demand McDavid-type money, Tavares should give the Islanders a high yet reasonable number that will get the ball rolling on a new deal. Ultimately, the Islanders will give Tavares what he wants, and a big-money deal will get done.

Potential Wish #4: Talent Behind Him

The Islanders have already acquired Jordan Eberle to play with good friend John Tavares. But that is not enough to satisfy JT.

Tavares will want talent behind him to stabilize the roster for a run to the Stanley Cup, and if he tells Garth Snow that this is what he wants before he signs a new deal, it will get done. The Islanders will acquire the second line center they have needed since the departure of Frans Nielsen.

Time Is Ticking

John Tavares only has one more year until he becomes a UFA. We all know Tavares does not want to leave, so he should start negotiating with the Islanders to ease his uncertainties about his future with the Islanders.

Tavares rarely speaks up, but now is the time for him to let the Islanders know what he wants. He has all the leverage and should utilize this to get the Islanders to fix their most urgent problems before he re-signs.

Next: Are the Islanders returning to the Coliseum?

The Islanders will listen, and be a better team because of it. So let’s hope Tavares speaks up and helps himself, the team, and the fanbase.