Why Brady Tkachuk's Ottawa exit is nothing like John Tavares leaving the NY Islanders

The comparisons between Brady Tkachuk wanting out of Ottawa and John Tavares leaving the New York Islanders in 2018 were made by some in the aftermath of the blockbuster deal announced on Sunday that sent Tkachuk to Florida to play alongside his older brother Matthew with the Panthers.

Now, there are some valid reasons for the comparisons. surface-level. Both were captains. Both were the faces of their franchises. And now both are villains, leaving fanbases feeling angry and betrayed. But once you get past the surface level stuff, these situations really aren't the same at all.

In fact, if you're an Islanders fan who lived through the Tavares saga, you probably laught at the idea.

Sens fans have every right to be upset. Losing him is a punch to the gut, but there's one massive difference. Ottawa wasn't left empty-handed. Tkachuk reportedly made his feelings known with two years remaining on his contract, which gave the Senators some leverage, even if he asked to be traded to only four teams. It gave them some options. In the end, they were able to turn their captain into three first-round picks and a second-rounder.

That's not ideal, but it's a lot better than what happened on Long Island.

The Islanders spent the entire 2017-18 season listening to Tavares say how Long Island was home. listening. Even after they missed the playoffs for the second straight year, there was still optimism that their captain would stay. Ownership was moving forward with plans for Belmont Park. Mathew Barzal just had completed what would be a Calder trophy winning season. The organization was selling a future with Tavares at the center of it.

Then July 1 arrived. Tavares posted a photo of himself wearing Maple Leafs pajamas and announced he was heading home to Toronto.

And what did the Islanders get in return? Nothing. Not a prospect. Not a draft pick. Not even the chance to start a rebuild with assets coming back the other way.

That's why Islanders fans still look at the Tavares situation differently all these years later. Ottawa may have lost its captain, but they got something for him. The Islanders lost their captain and got absolutely nothing back. That's why these two stories should never be mentioned in the same breath.

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