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5 best fits for John Tavares in NHL free agency

By Luke Armstrong

(Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL and Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images) – image alterations performed by The Image Lab
(Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL and Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images) – image alterations performed by The Image Lab /
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NEWARK, NJ – APRIL 03: New York Rangers defenseman Neal Pionk (44) talks with New York Rangers center David Desharnais (51) during the third period of the National Hockey League Game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers on April 3, 2018, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ – APRIL 03: New York Rangers defenseman Neal Pionk (44) talks with New York Rangers center David Desharnais (51) during the third period of the National Hockey League Game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers on April 3, 2018, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

5. New York Rangers

While the Rangers currently represent a team in transition, John Tavares is still only 27 years old. General manager Jeff Gorton has made it known that they will only be targeting players who they can receive years of service from. If he was to sign a max deal, Tavares would only be 34 by the time his contract expired. New York would clearly be interested in offering this term to provide their franchise with a building block for prospects to develop around.

With plenty of picks in the upcoming draft and several good forward prospects already, a fast rebuild could be on the horizon and Tavares would provide the centerpiece to future success. Plenty of work needs to be done on their backend, which may make a John Carlson signing more attractive to executives on Broadway. However, the Rangers will enter the offseason with around $30 million in cap space, so the allure of going after John Tavares may be too much to pass on.

Nothing goes together quite like sports stars and New York City. Sponsorships, and other perks in one of the world’s biggest sports markets only add to the temptation to become the poster boy for Madison Square Garden. The transition would be quite easy for Tavares. He has spent 9 of the past 10 years in the New York area. How positively he views the Rangers future outlook will go a long way to determining how seriously he considers an offer. Could he stand being the most hated man on Long Island? My guess is yes.

Next: 5 best fits for John Carlson in NHL free agency

Discuss free agency with me on Twitter: @armstrongNHL

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