"I think a lot of teams would be excited about the opportunity to entertain John Tavares for sure," Blake said. "There's still time before that period would even come, and then whether you're one of the teams in on it, but it definitely would be something you would have to look at. I don't think players of that caliber come around very often and especially at that age."
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Tavares, 27, had 84 points (37 goals, 47 assists) for the Islanders this season. He can begin talking to other NHL teams June 24 but cannot sign until July 1. The maximum contract he could receive from any team other than the Islanders is seven years; the Islanders can offer him eight years.
Tavares and the Islanders have been in daily contact about a new contract, The Athletic reported June 15. TSN reported Tuesday that if Tavares does not sign with New York prior to June 24, he could meet with 3-5 teams at the CAA Hockey (agent) offices in Los Angeles.
Selected by the Islanders with the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, Tavares has 621 points (272 goals, 349 assists) in 669 NHL games, and has at least 24 goals in each of his nine NHL seasons.
