The schadenfreude was practically palpable on Long Island Sunday night as the seven-year deal inked by John Tavares with the Maple Leafs in 2018 came to a rather embarrassing end. The Core Four, spearheaded by Tavares himself who served as the Leafs captain until this year, managed to secure a measly two playoff series victories over the span of those seven seasons. The blame game was in full swing in the Toronto media, with Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews taking the brunt of it for their lackluster performances against the Panthers. But let’s not forget about Tavares, who couldn’t seem to catch a break even in his footie pajamas.
In a post-game interview, Tavares expressed his desire to stay with the Leafs, but it seems like the writing is on the wall. Conventional wisdom suggests that the Leafs will need to shake things up and potentially break up their core in some shape or form. If this truly is the end of the road for Tavares in Toronto, it’s safe to say that his time there was less than stellar. With just one point in seven games against Florida and a rather pedestrian 31 points in 51 playoff games with Toronto, including five Game 7 defeats, Tavares definitely didn’t leave on a high note. And let’s not forget his less than impressive performance in Sunday’s 6-1 loss to Florida, where he ended the night with a disappointing minus-3.
It’s safe to say that the Islanders fan base must be over the moon with this turn of events. Not really sure why this matters, but maybe it’s just me, but it seems like Tavares’ departure from Toronto is a cause for celebration for those back on Long Island. And who can blame them? With his lackluster playoff performances and the underwhelming results during his time with the Leafs, it’s no surprise that Islanders fans are feeling pretty smug right about now. But hey, maybe it’s just a case of the grass not always being greener on the other side. Who knows? At the end of the day, one thing’s for sure – Tavares’ time in Toronto has come to a rather lackluster end, leaving many wondering what the future holds for both him and the Leafs.
