New York Islanders: How Long Will The John Tavares Hate Last?

After John Tavares left the New York Islanders for the Toronto Maples Leafs, the anger and bitterness from islanders fans was expected. But how much is too much before Islanders fans move on and are happy with the successful team they have?

Ever since John Tavares made the fateful decision to leave the New York Islanders for the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency, he has been public enemy number one for fans of the blue and orange. Faced with chants of “traitor”, “snake”, and even “pajama boy”, his home-coming to Long Island earlier this season didn’t necessarily have the welcome wagon rolled out.

There was no love lost last night either. In Tavares’ second trip this season to his old stomping grounds, it was his goal that was the game winner in the Maple Leafs win over the Islanders. Not only did that add another chapter to the Islanders versus Maple Leafs and Tavares saga, but the fact that game clinched a postseason spot for Toronto on Islanders home ice stung just a little bit more.

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The hate is understandable, as Tavares was a franchise player for a small market team. You can use any justification you want that hockey is a business and he made the right business move or going the sentimental route and justifying the move by saying “but it was his boyhood team!” You can go ahead and try, but you have a better chance of Gary Bettman resigning than finding an Islanders fan who agrees with you.

The question is how long will the Tavares hate last on Long Island? It’s perfectly understandable that Islanders fans don’t like him and will probably never forgive him. Their hatred has been driving them their entire season. This is all in the midst of a surprisingly good season for the Islanders when they defied the odds and made the playoffs. When will the fans’ happiness for their current team’s success overcome their hatred toward Tavares?

For a similar comparison, we don’t have to travel far to go just a short trip over the river to look at another Metropolitan Division team – the New Jersey Devils. While Devils fans are happy and content with the likes of Nico Hischier, Kyle Palmieri and Taylor Hall nowadays, they never forget the old days of Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk. Parise famously left the Devils in the 2012 free agency, right after captioning the team to the Stanley Cup final, for his hometown Minnesota Wild.

It’s fair to say that Devils fans still don’t like Parise. However, the recent success and rebuilding of the team, aside from this lost season, has begun to get them over the hump to recovery. It was a long time coming, however.

While the Islanders were able to immediately rebound and make the playoffs one year after their star free agent’s departure, Parise leaving began a six-year playoff drought for New Jersey. Ask a Devils fan about their former captain during those years, and you might not get such a benevolent answer.

So my advice, being a recovering Parise hater, to Tavares hating Islander fans is you don’t have to get over it, but enjoy what you have. The fact the Islanders are in the playoffs might not take away all the pain he has caused your hockey loving hearts, but it should at least soften the blow enough that you have something to look forward to.

Unlike some teams that lose free agents and head towards the Eastern Conference basement, you have a solid foundation with Mathew Barzal and company. Be thankful for what you got, although the occasion anger towards a certain former Islanders captain who should not be named is understandable and expected.

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When Toronto comes to town, that’s a completely different story. Bring all the hate you can when the Maple Leafs come to play, especially if it happens to be in the playoffs.

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