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NHL Rumors: John Tavares updated list of visits, new details

By Brad Berreman

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 30: John Tavares #91 of the New York Islanders skates against the Florida Panthers at Barclays Center on January 30, 2018 in New York City. Florida Panthers defeated the New York Islanders 4-1. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 30: John Tavares #91 of the New York Islanders skates against the Florida Panthers at Barclays Center on January 30, 2018 in New York City. Florida Panthers defeated the New York Islanders 4-1. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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John Tavares will be sought after by far more teams than we know as of now, but as he hits free agency he will meet with a handful.

Just in time to hit free agency, New York Islanders center John Tavares put up 84 points (second-best of his career; 37 goals and 47 assists) this past season. There is some chance the Islanders will be able to bring him back, with Lou Lamoriello in place atop the front office now, but plenty of other teams either have or will attempt to create the cap space to make a run at the top free agent this year.

Money will probably ultimately talk, but Tavares has earned the right to carefully select his next team.

According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning have sit down meetings scheduled with Tavares and his representation over the next few days.

LeBrun also reported two or three other teams will have discussions over the phone as a starting point in courting Tavares.

The identity of those latter few teams is unknown. But Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports has reported the Montreal Canadiens tried to get a meeting with Tavares in Los Angeles, and were refused. The St. Louis Blues could be one of the two or three teams who lined up a phone call, and general manager Doug Armstrong has apparently made sure Tavares and his camp know they are interested.

Related Story: Montreal Canadiens: 5 2018 free agents who can take them back to playoffs

According to TSN, the Nashville Predators are a sixth team scheduled to have a meeting with Tavares in Los Angeles between Monday and Wednesday.

One of the other top free agents this year, defenseman John Carlson, is already headed back to the Washington Capitals. Tavares could follow the same path back to the Islanders, especially with Barry Trotz coming in as head coach fresh off a Stanley Cup win. But Tavares can’t be blamed for seeing what’s out there, and the list of teams he’ll be sitting face-to-face with points to winning as a priority.

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