Waiting for an announcement on the John Tavares saga Saturday night was like waiting for a goal in the second overtime of a playoff game, which made it all the more poignant.
It sure was a different vibe from the one conjured by the Islanders and their star center late on the night of April 24, 2016. Back then, Tavares tied Game 6 of the playoff series against the Panthers in the final minute of regulation, then won it at 10:41 of the second overtime. It clinched the franchise’s only series victory in the past 25 years.
What was most remarkable about it was that, shortly after the shining moment of his stellar career, he recognized that he was not the story.