I think the isles fans hate on JT is misguided. He didn't want to get traded at the deadline? Who really does? Especially when they have such a deep connection to that team. If isles fans need to point their hatred and frustration, it should be at Snow and the ownership (both previous and new). Tavares is an asset that THEY mismanaged, not John himself. Regardless of whether JT did or didn't say he wanted to stay, when a player is not signed at the traded deadline then GM should realize that losing the player for nothing is a very real possibility.
I get it, he's their star player, but what reasons are there for him to stay? Isles fans of all people should understand why he choose to go elsewhere. For 9 years he's had very little help despite giving them great cap value, he's seen core players he's played with go elsewhere, he's had to deal with ownership issues, arena issues, never had and still doesn't have a consistent number 1 goalie.... why should he stay? Why should he sacrifice more of his prime years under ANOTHER REBUILD? Out of loyalty? It's ridiculous really.
Mats Sundin did worse to the leafs club, Sundin held back the leafs management group from doing a rebuild by basically refusing to be traded, which he was entitled to, and he told other players on the team with NTC to do the same. We ended up finishing higher in the standings, drafted Luke Schenn instead of the ridiculous players in the top 5 (Stamkos, Doughty and Petro), and got nothing for the big 5 on the team. Yet this is the reaction leafs fans had a year later...
Yeah, Tavares left for nothing, but that is not his doing, he never stood in the way of Snow trading him and doing what was right for his organization. Losing JT for nothing is entirely on Snow and the ownership group who chose not to manage their assets with foresight. Don't blame JT for exercising his right as a free agent and doing what was right for himself.
