NHL 2017 -Official Discussion Thread

[Smitty-48]

The question is more would the Isles trade Tavares if he takes it to the limit, and to whom?

[Smitty-48]

The ironic thing is, I don't actually see many fits for Tavares at a huge cap hit, so he may not have as many options as he thinks, and so just ends up back on the Island by default.

[StCapps]

I see Tavares doing a Stamkos, he could come back, but he'll take it right down to the wire.

Yeah it really just seems like Stamkos all over again, but if I was him I would bail, the Islanders aren't going anywhere. Take a little bit of a pay cut if you have to, unless you care more about the money than winning, if so stay on the Island. If had John Tavares money though, I'd bounce.

[Smitty-48]

I don't think Tavares is taking a haircut to stay on the Island, if he's staying on or going to a bad team, he's gonna want a max contract.

I could see the Red Wings making a play for him tho.

[StCapps]

I don't think Tavares is taking a haitcut to stay on the Island, if he's staying on or going to a bad team, he's gonna want a max contract.

I could see the Red Wings making a play for him tho.

The Islanders are honestly considering not paying him? I don't see the point in going to shitty team unless he really just wants max money that bad. If he does all the power to him, most dudes of his caliber want to win a Cup before their career is over though and going to Detroit isn't going to get that done.

[Smitty-48]

Philly maybe? Big spenders, subtracting the ones who can't fit him under the cap, how many are there?

[Smitty-48]

There's obviously the Rangers, then he doesn't even have to move.

[Smitty-48]

I don't think Tavares is taking a haitcut to stay on the Island, if he's staying on or going to a bad team, he's gonna want a max contract.

I could see the Red Wings making a play for him tho.

The Islanders are honestly considering not paying him? I don't see the point in going to shitty team unless he really just wants max money that bad. If he does all the power to him, most dudes of his caliber want to win a Cup before their career is over though and going to Detroit isn't going to get that done.

Teams who are set up to make runs at the cup in the next few years, generally have their 1C's already and so can't afford to add another one.

Wings, Flyers, Rangers; three big spenders in the east who don't have 1C's and who could afford to buy one. I also see Tavares wanting to stay in the east, as close as possible to Toronto and New York, home and home away from home, he winters in New York, he summers in Toronto, I don't see him wanting to go to Vancouver or Arizona, he might go to LA, everybody likes LA, but they're in cap jail for years to come, they'd have to move Kopitar out first.

[StCapps]

I don't think Tavares is taking a haitcut to stay on the Island, if he's staying on or going to a bad team, he's gonna want a max contract.

I could see the Red Wings making a play for him tho.

The Islanders are honestly considering not paying him? I don't see the point in going to shitty team unless he really just wants max money that bad. If he does all the power to him, most dudes of his caliber want to win a Cup before their career is over though and going to Detroit isn't going to get that done.

Teams who are set up to make runs at the cup in the next few years, generally have their 1C's already and so can't afford to add another one.

Wings, Flyers, Rangers; three big spenders in the east who don't have 1C's and who could afford to buy one. I also see Tavares wanting to stay in the east, as close as possible to Toronto and New York, home and home away from home, he winters in New York, he summers in Toronto, I don't see him wanting to go to Vancouver or Arizona, he might go to LA, everybody likes LA, but they're in cap jail for years to come, they'd have to move Kopitar out first.

If Tavares chooses to leave, the Leafs are going to regret signing Patrick Marleau extra early, that's for sure. This is one of many reasons why you don't spend money just because you have money to spend, cap space matters. If Tavares demands a trade, you could have used that extra $6.25 million in cap space.

[Smitty-48]

Nah, the Leafs weren't going to sign Tavares, you can't afford both Tavares and Matthews at full pop, stop your concern trolling about Marleau, already. Near term they have $8 million left and money would be going back in the deal, so they could fit Tavares in, but since they couldn't fit him in long term, and scoring is not their problem, they wouldn't bother.

The Leafs don't want Tavares, they want somebody like Oliver Ekman-Larsson.