New York Islanders Offseason Plan If John Tavares Leaves (Competitive)

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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 26: John Tavares #91 of the New York Islanders reacts in the third period against the Florida Panthers during their game at Barclays Center on March 26, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

The New York Islanders have to try to re-sign John Tavares but what if he decides to leave? Here’s the offseason plan if Tavares leaves and they don’t rebuild.

As the NHL playoffs are winding down, teams who have been long eliminated start to begin to think about their future, starting with this offseason. The New York Islanders have their most important offseason in a long time, this year.

The Islanders have to try to convince John Tavares to a long-term extension. Once July 1, 2018, comes he has the ability to sign with any team, which is a scary thought.

If Tavares does, in fact, decide to leave, which some people perceive as a likely possibility, the New York Islanders have two options. They can decide to try to remain competitive or they can blow this thing sky high and start a rebuild.

This plan will be under the impression that Tavares leaves and that the Islanders decide against a full-on rebuild. We’ll go through how the Islanders can make improvements to their roster while also losing their best player.

It’s not going to be easy, but it’s certainly worth a try.