Fansided

New York Islanders John Tavares Sign-and-Trade Would Be Embarassing

By Michel Anderson |
UNIONDALE, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: John Tavares of the New York Islanders and Islanders General Manager Garth Snow speak to the media during a press conference to announce Tavares has signed a six-year contract extension with the New York Islanders on September 15, 2011 at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images for New York Islanders)
UNIONDALE, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: John Tavares of the New York Islanders and Islanders General Manager Garth Snow speak to the media during a press conference to announce Tavares has signed a six-year contract extension with the New York Islanders on September 15, 2011 at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images for New York Islanders)

If New York Islanders captain John Tavares leaves the organization that drafted him in a sign-and-trade, it would be the biggest embarrassment this franchise has seen in a long time.

By now we’ve all read the Athletics’ Pierre LeBrun’s piece on the option of a sign-and-trade for New York Islanders John Tavares. If a team really wants John Tavares, a sign-and-trade is their best bet to jump the queue and try to get their man.

There’s also no question this is likely the best option at this point for the New York Islanders to get anything back for John Tavares if he leaves.

For what it’s worth I think it’s going to be  Steven Stamkos situation all over again. Tavares is going to speak to suitors and just decide to stay on Long Island.

What I wanted to get off my chest is how incredibly embarrassing it would be to have John Tavares leave on a sign-and-trade.

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Like Pierre LeBrun said in his piece, a sign-and-trade only happens if John Tavares wants it to happen. It will only take place if John Tavares wants to leave the New York Islanders. That’s embarrassing enough.

Having your star player, team captain, and best player feel like he’s better off elsewhere is an incredible negative testament to this franchise. But we all know that already. We already know this franchise isn’t a premier destination.

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They can build all of the state-of-the-art practice facilities they want. It’s clearly not changing the on-ice product and its ability to win games. The Islanders are currently a point behind the New York Rangers who’ve literally told their fans they’re ready to tank. In February.

The Islanders, who added pieces at the trade deadline are worse than a team who sold off Rick Nash, Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller, and Nick Holden.

But the worst part of all this is the optics of Garth Snow getting John Tavares to sign a contract that he didn’t come up with. After all of the song-and-dance we all endured during the season, Garth’s only chance to sign Tavares would be to a contract he didn’t come up with.

I know we already don’t like Garth Snow, although some fans don’t seem to agree, a sign-and-trade has to be the absolute worst outcome.

Not only do we get confirmation that Tavares actively wants out. But our GM, and by extension, the fans get completely embarrassed in the process.

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Next: 10 Step Plan To Fix The Islanders

All the Griffin Reinhart and Ryan Strome trades in the world couldn’t make up losing John Tavares, even if he wanted to leave. If Tavares’ wants to leave it’s because the situation around him became absolutely unbearable. I feel bad for Mathew Barzal who would now occupy that position.

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