Ex-NHLer's Comments About Old Teammate John Tavares Shines a Light on His Controversial Departure
Photo credit: Eric Hartline - Imagn Images
Former Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck has come forward to defend John Tavares and has addressed the former Islanders captain's highly controversial decision to leave New York in 2018.
When long-time New York Islanders captain John Tavares spurred his club and decided to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency back in 2018, it left the entire fanbase shocked, disappointed, and vengeful.
For a few years after the controversial decision, every time that Tavares stepped foot on Long Island, he was mercilessly jeered and booed to a point where things almost got overly personal.
However, it was a choice that meant the world to Tavares, because he was able to sign with his boyhood team, which is not readily available for too many players in the league.
At the time, he was highly coveted by a series of teams but Tavares ended up signing in Toronto, and even reportedly left some money on the table to make it work.
Despite the controversial nature of the move, former teammate Cal Clutterbuck felt no ill will as he described the turn of events from his point of view, during his recent interview with Spittin' Chiclets.
"I just remember him not being sure, and when it was trade deadline time, we were still kind of good and it wasn't what people make it. Like Snowy really wanted to give himself a chance to sign him and I think John really considered coming back, but at the end of the day, when you're that guy and you have the chance to go home and be the guy and the hero... if you're looking yourself in the mirror as an outsider and saying 'I wouldn't do that', you're a liar.
A lot of the dissent comes from the idea that the Islanders should have traded Tavares at the trade deadline to recoup some value, especially with the club outside of the playoff picture.
However, as Clutterbuck mentions, Tavares was unsure and had reservations of leaving the only team he played for. GM Garth Snow was keen on bringing him back, but when Toronto comes knocking, you take that chance as a hometown kid, especially with rising stars in Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner in the fold.
It's a decision Tavares didn't take lightly, and since that decision, he has had a successful run with the Leafs, having scored 222 goals and 493 points in 513 games across 7 seasons. However, he'll be hoping that his recent contract extension leads to more playoff success as he's signed through until the end of the 2028-29 season.
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AOUT 24 | 1435 ANSWERS Ex-NHLer's Comments About Old Teammate John Tavares Shines a Light on His Controversial Departure How many goals does John Tavares score in 2025-26? | ||
| 25-30 | 666 | 46.4 % |
| 31-35 | 582 | 40.6 % |
| 36-40 | 150 | 10.5 % |
| 40 or more | 37 | 2.6 % |
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