It's a date that Islanders fans have likely had circled on their calendars for a long time, but Thursday will mark the first time that John Tavares returns to Long Island as a visiting player.
The Islanders and Maple Leafs met once earlier this season in Toronto, but this will be the first matchup between the two teams on Long Island. It marks the long-anticipated return of Tavares, the former Islanders hero who became a villain to many when he left the team this past summer.
Thursday's matchup -- which can be streamed in the N.Y. market via fuboTV (Try for free) at 7 p.m. ET -- brings one of the most intriguing storylines of the entire regular season, so here's what you need to know about the situation as the Isles and Leafs prepare to face off at Nassau Coliseum.
Why is it a big deal?
To put it simply, Tavares was the Islanders' most important player for most of the past decade. After being drafted first overall by the team in 2009, Tavares went on to become the captain and face of the franchise over the next nine seasons.
He put up impressive numbers during his tenure with the Isles, scoring 272 goals (seventh-most in franchise history) and 621 points (fifth-most), all before hitting the age of 28. He was on pace to become an Islanders legend.
But for all his personal achievements, the Isles didn't experience much team success during Tavares' tenure. They reached the playoffs just three times in those nine years, winning only one postseason series during that stretch.
As the Islanders struggled in the standings once again last season, there were many questions about Tavares' impending free-agent status and his future with the club. During the season, though, Tavares maintained that he was committed to the Islanders and that his focus was on making the playoffs with New York. (They ultimately missed the postseason.)
After the season, Tavares was heavily courted by interested teams, including the Islanders, during his free agency tour. New York revamped its leadership in hopes of convincing Tavares to stay, hiring head coach Barry Trotz immediately after he won the Stanley Cup behind the Capitals' bench and signing veteran exec Lou Lamoriello to lead their front office.
Ultimately, despite saying several times in the past that he wanted to retire an Islander, Tavares ultimately chose the team that he felt gave him the best chance to win and signed a seven-year, $77 million deal with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs.
How will he be received?
Many Islanders fans felt betrayed and spurned by Tavares' departure, especially considering his comments regarding his commitment to the team and retiring on Long Island, and have villainized the former captain for not being transparent enough throughout the process.
Perhaps the eight months separating Tavares' free agency decision and this reunion in Long Island have helped to reduce the bitterness for some. But considering this "Dear John" video that was released this week in anticipation of Thursday's game, there's still plenty of animosity held by some.
With that in mind, there should be plenty of boos for Tavares when he takes the ice at Nassau Coliseum on Thursday night.
However, there are also a number of Islanders fans who are able to put aside their disappointment over Tavares' departure and recognize his contributions to the franchise over the past decade. Many of those fans also acknowledge that the front office didn't do enough to build a winning team around Tavares and convince him to stay on Long Island.
As such, I'd expect a pretty mixed reaction from the home crowd on Thursday, though boos often tend to be a bit louder than appreciative cheers.
Where are they now?
The Islanders have fared surprisingly well without Tavares this season and head into Thursday's game with 79 points in the standings, tying them with Washington for the top spot in the Metropolitan division. (New York has played two less games than Washington, making them the first-place team in regards to point percentage.)
Under the leadership of Trotz, the Islanders have gone from the league's worst defensive team a season ago to the NHL's top defensive squad this year. The Isles are allowing a league-low 2.32 goals against per game this season. Twenty-one-year-old Sophomore phenom Mat Barzal leads all Islanders in points this year with 51 (17 goals and 34 assists).
As for the Maple Leafs, it enters Thursday with 82 points on the year, which trails Boston by a single point for second-place in the Atlantic division. The Leafs rank top-ten in both goals per game (fourth) and goals against per game (eighth) and, despite some struggles with consistency, are considered one of the most dangerous and explosive teams in the league.
Tavares has fit in very well in his first season with Toronto and he's currently second on the team in points with 68. His 36 goals on the year lead the team, with 29 of those tallies coming at even-strength. He's projected to finish the year with 47 goals, which would be the first time in his career that he's hit the 40-goal mark.
All things considered, both sides are in a pretty great spot as we head into this long-awaited reunion.
What are they saying?
Islanders coach Barry Trotz:
Isles coach Barry Trotz on the Tavares hoopla coming home tomorrow. "John was the face of the franchise (but) you earn the right as a free agent (to move on). It's no different than in any other walk of life. I did it in Washington. We need the two points."
— Lance Hornby (@sunhornby) February 27, 2019
Barry Trotz says John Tavares earned the right to go home to Toronto. His message for #isles fans? "Just be respectful, cheer us on and let's have a good hockey game here tonight."
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 28, 2019
Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock:
Mike Babcock on John Tavares going back to Long Island vs his return to Detroit: “It’s way easier to go back when they fire you.”
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) February 28, 2019
Mike Babcock also said, in reference to Tavares' haters, "I always say in my family, if your knees don't hit the kitchen table, your opinion probably doesn't matter."
We all laughed, but I'm not sure any of us actually know what that means.
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) February 28, 2019
Tavares himself:
Tavares: "Since Day 1 when I was drafted there, I fully embraced being an Islander. I loved it and I gave everything I had. Whatever it is now, it's not up to me to convince anybody of that. I've got enough to worry about just trying to play my game and help the Maple Leafs."
— Brian Compton (@BComptonNHL) February 28, 2019
