Former Islanders general manager defends John Tavares's decision to leave Long Island
John Tavares has gotten a lot of hate over his decision to leave the New York Islanders organization for the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency 5 years ago. Most Islander fans believe that Tavares wronged them and as such, have made their disdain known every time he returns, but is the hate Tavares gets justified? Not according to this former Islander personnel.
According to former long time general manger Garth Snow, Tavares gets way more than is deserved, especially in part because ownership had decided in the last year of his contract with the islanders they weren't going to trade him at the 2018 trade deadline.
That decision by Scott Malkin was that we weren't gonna trade him under any circumstances, Snow said. He was totally committed to re-signing him. I think the quote I had said is, 'Are you willing to drive the car off the cliff if you go through the season and get to free agency?' He was comfortable with that. That's the bottom line.
Snow continued by saying the that Tavares draws the ire of Islander fans even though the situation and how it unfolded wasn't his fault.
I feel so bad that [Tavares] gets trashed for something that wasn't his fault, Snow said. The Islanders could have traded him if they wanted to, but that decision was made. So it's not his fault the Islanders didn't trade him.
No doubt Islander fans will still show their hatred for Tavares for as long as he plays for the Maple Leafs, but his departure from New York solely on the islanders ownership and their failings, not much else.
Source: New York Post
| POLL | ||
AOUT 20 | 115 ANSWERS Former Islanders general manager defends John Tavares's decision to leave Long Island Do you think Islander fans have a right to be upset at Tavares leaving? | ||
| Yes | 22 | 19.1 % |
| No | 48 | 41.7 % |
| It's free agency, anyone can leave | 37 | 32.2 % |
| They have a right to feel mad | 8 | 7 % |
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