The fact he chose to leave guarantees that some Islanders fans will never forgive him. And John Tavares isn't going to try to change their minds (reporterchris)
TORONTO — You really don’t get the sense this return to Long Island carries any extra meaning forIt has been seven months since he signed with his hometown team, tweeting "not everyday you can live a childhood dream" along with that old picture of him sleeping under Maple Leafs bed sheets, and only a scheduler’s quirk has delayed his first visit back to Nassau Coliseum until now.fans to voice displeasure at their former captain or show some appreciation.
This is a return to the building where he played his first NHL game back on Oct. 3, 2009 and scored his first NHL goal. The place where he celebrated hat tricks and overtime winners and was the toast of a loyal, passionate fanbase that suffered through the ups and downs of failed arena bids, repeated roster mismanagement and an ownership change.
Sure, he repeatedly professed his love for Long Island while playing out the final year of his contract last season. It was how he felt. And it’s not as though the Islanders were left out of the free-agent process, with new general manager Lou Lamoriello getting a dinner with Tavares in Manhattan shortly after he was hired and then being the first of six teams invited to pitch him in the days leading up to July 1.
There will be extra security measures put in place by the NHL in case anyone tries something unsavoury, but the Leafs weren’t worried about safety. "It’s way easier to go back when they fire you. It’s a fact," he said. "Or if they kick you out of town then no one holds any kind of hard feelings, but that’s life. You make decisions and they get to say what they want."
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