The 2017-18 season looked promising for the Islanders. Mathew Barzal, the team’s 2015 first-round pick, has looked exceptional in his rookie year, posting a respectable 13 goals at the midseason mark. Veteran forwards Anders Lee and Josh Bailey are on pace to have career years in points, while longtime Oiler Jordan Eberle is making Edmonton regret trading him away. But New York has still struggled to solidify one of the sought after playoff spots. Poor goaltending by Thomas Greiss and Jaroslav Halak prevent the Isles from staying in games as their combined average for goals against sits at a 3.57. Along with their problems in net, the Isles defense can also share the blame. With almost no depth at the positions and ranked near the bottom in penalty kill percentage, it’s no surprise they lead the league in goals against. The crowded Metropolitan Division features the likes of Washington, New Jersey, and Columbus, all of whom can be considered favorites for making a run at the Stanley Cup. With the team in a downward spiral, the man trying to lead the charge might soon find himself doing so with another team.

Former all-star and current Islanders captain John Tavares is a gamechanger. Spending his entire career with the Islanders, Tavares has already etched his name as one of the best in the franchise’s history. After being drafted with the first overall pick back in 2009, the centerman has gone on to score a ridiculous number of points and he’s just entering his prime. So why should he stay?

Tavares is set to hit the free agent market at the end of the season. With his impressive resume, there’s no reason why JT should not seek to earn a hefty salary. As much as the Islanders would love to maintain the face of their franchise, there are many contenders who could offer Tavares a sizeable contract with a greater chance of winning. A friend of mine who’s a hockey enthusiast and fan of the Capitals, provided this assessment of his skill and status.

“He’s (Tavares) a dynamic center who can create and score goals. There isn’t a team in this league that couldn’t use a guy like him. As a Caps fan, I would absolutely love to see him out of New York and donning the red, white, and blue.”

Julia Minogue, a junior at FPM and lifelong Islanders fan, is an avid hockey watcher who loves to see her team play hard and win. With rumors swirling about John Tavares, she had this to say regarding one of her favorite players.

“Tavares is and has been the face of this team for over 5 years,” said Minogue. “If he were to leave, his leadership and athletic abilities would definitely be missed and leave a big hole on our team. If this circumstance were to arise, we would just have to focus on young talent like (Mathew) Barzal and hope to continue to grow as a team.”

The decision to move the team back to Long Island in the near future will likely influence Tavares’ decision on whether he wants to remain with the only franchise he has played for. A new arena will be built in Belmont Park, (across the street from the wonderful Floral Park Memorial High School), in time for the 2019 season. Knowing that the future could become brighter for New York, will Tavares stay and accomplish his goal of winning a Stanley Cup for the resilient Islander fans? They can only hope.