If he has taken this long, why not just wait as long as possible?
John Tavares continued running the sand through the hourglass into Friday evening, having not agreed to any contract yet with the Islanders.
The captain has until midnight Saturday to sign a new contract or he will become a free agent when the clock strikes July 1. By then, the Islanders can only offer a seven-year deal, just like the rest of the league. Therefore, if he hasn’t signed by then, it likely will be his goodbye to the Islanders.
Tavares will turn 28 by the time the season starts, and he has had a lot to weigh during the past few days.