Under desperate circumstances, it's reasonable to imagine a scenario in which the Islanders are forced to consider trading John Tavares, their captain and face of the franchise, lest they lose him for nothing in free agency following another playoff miss.
Such a scenario has not and maybe never will come to pass, but Garth Snow's stance is crystal clear and, now, on the record.
“I’m not trading John Tavares,’’ the Islanders general manager told The Athletic in a text message Thursday.
MORE: John Tavares ups his game, even as free agency questions amplify
Much will change between now, the Feb. 26 trade deadline and July 1, when Tavares, 27, has to make a decision which could shift the balance of power in the NHL. The Islanders have already begun to slip in the standings — not a good sign inside a division as unforgiving as the Metropolitan — with uninspired loses to Florida and Toronto out of the All-Star break. They've won three games in regulation since Dec. 1. And as of the conclusion of Thursday's games, the Islanders were in last place, albeit just one point out of a wild-card spot.
For as long as Tavares remains without a contract extension, this world of rumors and speculation is reality for the franchise. Trading him would represent a full reset, but could recoup a wealth of draft picks and prospects, which would expedite that process.
Meanwhile, Tavares continues to show why he's one of the NHL's most valuable players.
MORE: How a John Tavares deal could work in Toronto
This season has been one of the best in his career, what with usually gaudy personal stats (26 goals, 57 points in 50 games) and a clean bill of health. But the center's best work has been the influence on his teammates, especially frequent linemates Anders Lee and Josh Bailey, the latter who joined Tavares as an All-Star in Tampa. His latest case study is Anthony Beauvillier, a rookie who was on a goal-scoring tear entering All-Star weekend.
It all bodes well in terms of keeping Tavares in New York for the rest of his career. In Tampa, he praised the organization's drafting and development, which extends to other impact rookies such as Calder favorite Mathew Barzal and defensemen Sebastian Aho and Ryan Pulock. The franchise's geographical future is firmly in place, too. And Tavares continues to insist negotiations between Snow and agent Pat Brisson are ongoing and "always open."
"Mostly I'm focused on this season, taking my time and being patient," Tavares told reporters at All-Star media day. "When the time's right, I’ll make my decision.”
Increasingly, it looks like the time won't be right until the offseason. That's when Steven Stamkos -- Tavares' Lightning counterpart and most recent comparable -- signed an eight-year extension three days before his scheduled unrestricted free agency in 2016. If the Islanders reach the playoffs, as the Lightning did then, it will go a long way toward securing Tavares' signature.
But if the Islanders continue to lose traction in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, Feb. 26 will be a tense day for the organization, regardless of Snow's public assertions.
