Needing a bona fide star to bolster their franchise, the New York Islanders are reportedly in discussions with John Tavares for a deal that will take him past his entry-level contract.
Tavares, who turns 21 on Sept. 20, enters the final year of his pact with a desire to lock into the team for its future. While the Islanders' status on Long Island is in question, the Isles' headline player prefers to avoid uncertainty.
"It's not something I want hanging over the season and affecting the team," Tavares told Newsday on Tuesday. "I know I'm going to be here for a long time and I'd like it to get done."
The Islanders open training camp this weekend.
Although financial figures are unknown, Newsday reports the term in discussion to be five of six years. Neither GM Garth Snow nor Tavares' agent would talk to Newsday about their negotiations.
The first overall pick in the 2009 Draft, Tavares is among possible replacements for captain Doug Weight, who retired this summer and joined the front office. Tavares was an alternate captain last season.
Two seasons into his career, Tavares is proving himself in the NHL. He had 24 goals and 30 assists as a rookie and improved to 29 goals and 38 assists last season. He is also impressing Islanders veterans.
"You can see the difference in him, on and off the ice," defenseman Mark Streit told Newsday. "He's really matured quite a lot."
Islanders ownership has said the team will remain in antiquated Nassau Coliseum through the 2014-15 NHL season to honor its lease. Beyond that, deadlocked discussions for a new Long Island arena leave the team's future home in doubt.
Tavares has no doubt about where he wants to be?with the Islanders.
"Once this [contract] is done, it'll finally show people that this is where I want to be," Tavares told Newsday. "At the end of the day, until it's signed, some people will think there's a possibility I don't want to be here. I don't quite understand it; I never have.
"Right now, my focus is on getting ready for the season. I'll keep saying that I want to stay here, I guess, until the contract's done. Nothing's changed for me."
He also told the team's website recently: "I'm committed to Long Island and the Islanders. They've been great to me."
"We have a great bunch of guys and I'd love to be part of turning this around from where it was and bringing us back to credibility, respectability and being a team that's constantly in the playoffs and competing for the Stanley Cup."
read football news read cricket news read golf news read baseball news read soccer news
No comments:
Post a Comment