EAST MEADOW, NY — There were more members of the media present at the New York Islanders’ morning skate on Thursday than there have been at a majority of the team’s regular-season games this year.
While it’s an atmosphere that is usually found in the postseason, it is all for just a February finale between the Islanders and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
If only it were just that.
The arrival of the Maple Leafs following a 6-2 win on Wednesday night over the Edmonton Oilers brought the entirety of the NHL’s spotlight to Long Island as former Islanders captain John Tavares makes his return to the Nassau Coliseum.
The 28-year-old spent nine seasons with the Islanders, delivering relevancy to a franchise largely mired in mediocrity for the better part of the past three decades. But his decision to leave the franchise that drafted him first-overall in 2009 proceeded to leave an ire-riddled void in hearts of countless Islanders fans, who are foaming at the mouth to air their grievances on Thursday night when the Maple Leafs hit the Coliseum ice.
That’s not necessarily the case for most of Tavares’ former teammates, who are treating Tavares’ return as more of a footnote.
Granted, young winger Anthony Beauvillier is ready to go.
“I think it’s going to be good to get this out of the way,” Beauvillier said. “Everyone’s been waiting for this all season. Obviously, the Coliseum is going to be bumping tonight.”
When I asked Islanders center Casey Cizikas if he was tired of answering questions about Tavares, his fourth-linemate Cal Clutterbuck leaned in to add, “as you ask him another question about it.”
He’s not wrong, but the circus-like atmosphere at Islanders morning skate only solidified that Tavares and his former team was the biggest storyline of the week in the NHL.
“It is what it is,” said Casey Cizikas, who spent seven years alongside Tavares. “We all understand what’s going on tonight and how big of a game this is. You all have to be ready for whenever these kinds of questions are asked.”
The third member of the best fourth line in hockey, Matt Martin, echoed those sentiments.
“I don’t think I really care all that much about all of this,” Martin said. “For us, we’re just worried about winning games. We’ve put him leaving behind us a long time ago. We want to beat him for sure, but we just want to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, climb in the standings, and get into the playoffs, and hopefully win a Stanley Cup. All that stuff that is isolated that you guys are talking about, we’re not really worried about.”
Coming off a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night, the Islanders lost their outright lead in the Metropolitan Division as they’re currently tied with the defending Stanley Cup-champions — and Barry Trotz’s former club — the Washington Capitals. Sensing the magnitude of Thursday’s game, Trotz opted to rest his team on Wednesday to try and refocus for the Maple Leafs.
“We need the points,” Trotz said. “Focus should be on the way we play, how we play, and trying to get the two points, obviously.”
But even he couldn’t help but address how the atmosphere will be at the Coliseum while giving some advice to Islanders fans who might be a little too enthusiastic about seeing Tavares for the first time since leaving.
“You have to respect that John gave his all for a long time,” Trotz said. “He had the right to go back home. Some people are upset about it. Just be respectful, cheer us on, and let’s have a good hockey game.”
