It has been three weeks since John Tavares became eligible to sign a contract extension with the Islanders, and yet he still remains without a long-term commitment to the team.
With each passing day, anxiety rises that the superlative captain will leave the only organization he has known. The 26-year-old has one year left on his contract at a club-friendly $5.5 million salary-cap hit, and general manager Garth Snow likely knows it would be prudent to trade him sooner rather than later instead of letting him walk away next summer for nothing.
But a quick poll by The Post of people in and around the NHL came back with a consensus that this is a case where patience is a virtue, and there is no need to panic — not yet, at least.
It also has been considered not out of the realm of possibility that Tavares could play this year out with Snow listening to all the calls that come in. If no deal is made, then Snow will hold out hope to still re-sign Tavares before he can reach unrestricted free agency next July 1.
That is exactly what happened with Tavares’ good friend Steven Stamkos and the Lightning, when he signed an eight-year deal with Tampa Bay worth an annual $8.5 million salary-cap hit just days before he was supposed to become a free agent last summer.
Just as Tavares has stated many times, this was never going to be a quick decision. Those closest to the Islanders captain reiterated his diligent nature, and his commendable ability never to make rash decisions. It is also clear Tavares is being kept in the loop for all things that have gone on, from the pending proposal for a new arena at Belmont Park — if New York State ever gets around to releasing the Request for Proposals (RFA) — as well as all the signings and trades being executed by Snow.
The team already has changed quite a bit since last season, when it missed the playoffs by one point. First, Doug Weight is fully in charge behind the bench after a successful half a season as interim head coach following the firing of Jack Capuano (now the associate head coach of the Panthers under Bob Boughner). Weight brought on almost a whole new staff, adding assistants Scott Gomez, Kelly Buchberger, and Luke Richardson, as well as goaltending coach, Fred Brathwaite. The only holdover is Greg Cronin, who was promoted to associate coach.
Snow began doing his part by making the big splash of adding talented winger Jordan Eberle in a trade that sent Ryan Strome to the Oilers. Snow also traded defensive stalwart Travis Hamonic for a handful of high draft picks, better to use in a trade for another elite-level forward to supplement Tavares.
The most obvious target is Avalanche winger Matt Duchene.
Another addition like that could make Tavares’ decision a little easier, assuming Snow isn’t trying to play hardball with the contract numbers. Although this was never going to be a quick decision, and no one is quite panicking yet, each day that goes by doesn’t make it any easier for the Islanders to see Tavares without a new deal.