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5 NHL teams John Tavares should stay away from in 2018-19

By C.L. Kohuss

NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 31: New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) skates off the ice during the second period of the National Hockey League Game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Islanders on March 31, 2018, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 31: New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) skates off the ice during the second period of the National Hockey League Game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Islanders on March 31, 2018, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 05: Josh Bailey #12 of the New York Islanders skates against the New York Rangers at Barclays Center on April 5, 2018 in New York City. New York Islanders defeated the New York Rangers 2-1. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 05: Josh Bailey #12 of the New York Islanders skates against the New York Rangers at Barclays Center on April 5, 2018 in New York City. New York Islanders defeated the New York Rangers 2-1. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images) /

1. New York Islanders

This final one is more about expanding horizons. If Tavares feels that his current team is ready to win now as well as contend throughout whatever contract he’s offered, he should stick with them. But he’s been with New York for nine seasons now and they’ve made the playoffs only three times. They didn’t advance beyond Round 2 in any of those three years.

New York also faces the prospect of losing six other players in free agency. It has six restricted free agents to sign as well. So even with decent space left after signing Tavares (projected to be around $24 million), they won’t have the cash to resign everyone. That means they aren’t likely to have the cash to add other big name pieces. None that would put them in line with Boston or Tampa Bay.

Plus, there are other teams that offer better homes in the long run, like the Colorado Avalanche. With $30 million in cap space, they’d still need to sign Mikko Rantanen and possibly fix their goaltending. But the Avs look like a team on the brink of making a run. They took the Nashville Predators to six games. They’re also coming off an incredible jump from 48 points to 95, and they have immense talent locked up for years to come at team-friendly deals.

Tavares could wait for the Islanders to start looking like a contender. Or he could move on to a club that already looks like one and will for the foreseeable future.

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