John Tavares Hopes New York Return Won’t Come With Boos

TheSportster

By Alex Hoegler

Published Sep 8, 2018

New Toronto Maple Leafs star John Tavares is hoping that he won't be met with boos when he returns to New York.

Mar 16, 2018; Washington, DC, USA; New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) skates with the puck in the third period against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

John Tavares made a difficult choice to leave the New York Islanders after eight seasons so he could sign with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, but the 27-year-old hopes the fans in Brooklyn will understand his decision.

Tavares joined the Maple Leafs on a seven-year contract worth $77 million, joining forces with an up-and-coming team that features young stars in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander.

For the Islanders, losing the captain is a brutal blow, and they seem destined for quite a falloff in 2018. To Tavares, all that he wants is a nice return to New York when his Leafs visit there on Feb. 28 and April 1.

"I wish I was able to do a better job and lead the team to more success," Tavares said in an interview with NBC Sports’s Pro Hockey Talk "It’s something I’ll always have to look back on and wish I could have done more and did a better job leading the team. But we’ll see what happens.I hope it’s positive because I know the positive impact they all made on me."

It's not Tavares' fault that the Islanders failed to build a championship contender around him. Before he was drafted first overall in 2009, the Islanders were consistently among the worst teams in the NHL.

Tavares helped New York win its first round playoff series with the Florida Panthers in 2016. That was the organization's first postseason series victory since 1993, but it was the only time Tavares would experience playoff success.

New York was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2013 and 2015, and the Tampa Bay Lightning made easy work of them in the second round of the 2016 postseason.

In 669 games with the Islanders, Tavares scored 272 goals and 621 points. But constant coaching changes, failed draft choices and failed free agent signings kept the Islanders in mediocrity.

For Tavares, leaving New York to play for his childhood team and chase a Stanley Cup was an offer he couldn't pass up on. Hopefully Islander fans will understand his choice and cheer Tavares when he returns twice next season.

NEXT: HOW JOHN TAVARES WILL IMPACT MITCH MARNER'S CONTRACT EXTENSION