John Tavares signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, putting an end to this chapter of his story and dashing the dreams of countless Islanders fans in the process.
In the span of an hour, Tavares reneged on months of reassurances that he would try — be thrilled, even — to remain on Long Island. In the process, he went from being the captain to the public enemy.
It’s hard to blame the Islanders’ fan base for the way they have reacted. Tavares was the captain — you know, the guy who is supposed to lead.