After Islanders' arena gamble pays off, question is: Will John Tavares cash in?

Brandon Schlager

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After Islanders' arena gamble pays off, question is: Will John Tavares cash in? image

Christmas came early for fans of the Islanders worried their team might soon become a statistic in the NHL's game of musical cities.

In the 11th hour of the biggest gamble in franchise history, the group including Jon Ledecky, a co-owner of the Islanders, secured its proposal to develop a hockey-fitted arena near the Belmont Park racetrack, as confirmed Wednesday with a blessing from Empire State Development and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

It was a banner day in the franchise's history in more ways than one. But most importantly, the Islanders are guaranteed a return to Long Island, ditching the untenable Barclays Center situation — a poor fit for all parties — in favor of a more suitable and permanent home for a team named the Islanders. There wasn't a Plan B. If the Belmont Park concept, once dismissed as a shot in the dark, fell through, the odds the team would be whisked off to destinations du jour like Quebec City or Seattle seemed likely, if not inevitable. 

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Even so, this is only the beginning. They still need to build the proposed 18,000-seat arena and its surrounding developments, which won't be ready until at least 2020-21, according to the proposed timeline. (See the full renderings here.) In the short term, the focus now turns toward John Tavares, who you might have heard has a decision to make.

Will he be there when the arena opens three years from now, when he's 30?

The longtime Islanders captain and face of the franchise, whose pending unrestricted free agency threatens to send the NHL into a frenzy this summer, has put off signing a contract extension until the franchise's future, both on and off the ice, became more clear.

Let's check in on the progress.

Entering Wednesday, Tavares was tied for third in the NHL in scoring with 42 points. His 19 goals rank fourth. The success of linemates Anders Lee (21 goals) and Josh Bailey (42 points) is staggering, another resume padder for the two-time Hart Trophy finalist. Mathew Barzal, looking the part of a 20-year-old phenom, leads a strong, young talent base.

Should the Islanders (18-13-3) keep pace in the wildly competitive Metropolitan Division, he'll be in the conversation — if the not the odds-on favorite — for MVP on his third try.

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By all accounts, things are looking up on the ice.

Still, the impact of the Islanders' arena announcement can't yet be quantified. Tavares was front and center for Wednesday's announcement, rubbing elbows behind the dais with Cuomo and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Asked later what the arena development means for his future as an Islander, Tavares played it off.

“It’s not going to be a deciding factor,” he said.

So we wait. Maybe until the end of the season, mirroring Lightning captain Steven Stamkos two years ago.

Tavares has maintained his loyalty to the franchise that selected him first overall nine years ago. He's excelled on one of the NHL's biggest bargain contracts since 2012, even though the team hasn't always upheld its promise to surround him with a roster capable of winning Stanley Cup(s). And while he loathes high-profile media markets like the ones that dot Eastern Canada, the pull of competitiveness grows ever stronger with the promise of Toronto and the prestige of Montreal.

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It's a compelling draw. There's no reason to doubt Tavares' commitment to Long Island. In fact, the situation remains ever in the Islanders' favor. A shiny, new eight-year contract extension, one which could make Tavares the NHL's highest-paid player, is possible any day now that the Islanders can present their plan with certainty.

But as long as Tavares is keeping his cards close to his chest, there's room for imagination.

"The Islanders are called the Islanders for a reason," Tavares declared. "This is really where the team belongs."

Now the rest of the NHL wants to know: Where does Tavares belong?

Brandon Schlager

Brandon Schlager Photo

Brandon Schlager is an assistant managing editor at The Sporting News. A proud Buffalo, N.Y. native and graduate of SUNY Buffalo State, he joined SN as an intern in 2014 and now oversees editorial content strategy.