Up Next: New York Islanders

DETROIT-- When the final horn sounds Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena, signaling the end of season for both the Red Wings and the New York Islanders, it could also be the end of the line for John Tavares as an Islander.
The Isles captain will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and there is little indication as to whether Tavares will remain with the team that drafted him first overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Tavares has said he hopes "things work out" with the Islanders, but speculation has been brewing for months that once the superstar center hits free agency, a chance to legitimately contend for the Stanley Cup will determine which team the 27-year-old chooses.
"I just try to be myself," Tavares told Newsday after practice on Wednesday. "I try to approach it the way I feel best. I just try and give everything I have to this group for as long as it goes. Obviously, the season will end Saturday. I want to go about it the right way and be the best captain I can be. When the time is right, it will all come to fruition and it will all be over at the same time. It's gotten to this point now. I can't say how it's going to go going forward."
This season will mark the sixth time the Islanders (34-37-10, 78 points) have missed the playoffs during Tavares' nine-year career.
"Being where we are is tough; missing the playoffs is tough," Tavares said Wednesday. "We're going to be watching again. It's another missed opportunity."
It has been a stellar season for Tavares, whose 83 points (36 goals, 47 assists, minus-11) leads the Islanders.
His ice time average of 19:57 per game is tops among New York's forward corps and third-most on the team.
As well as Tavares has performed, the play of rookie center Mathew Barzal has been the offensive story for the Isles.
Drafted in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2015 draft, Barzal is tied with Tavares for the team lead in points with 83 (22 goals, 61 assists, minus-1). His 61 assists is best on the team and he leads all NHL rookies in points, assists, power-play assists (21) and power-play points (26).
Barzal is the odds-on favorite to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year.
Veteran forward Josh Bailey (18 goals, 52 assists, minus-18) has already reached his career high in goals, assists and points. His 17:53 average ice time per game ranks second among Islanders forwards.
Former Notre Dame star Anders Lee is also having a career year in points with 61.
He leads the Islanders in goals with a career-high 39 and his 22 assists are also a career best.
He's minus-24, but his 14 power-play goals rank seventh overall in the NHL.
Forward Jordan Eberle has had a solid first year in New York.
Traded to the Isles by the Edmonton Oilers for Ryan Strome last June, Eberle has 25 goals among his 59 points and his plus-4 is second-best among the Islanders forwards.
Twenty-year-old Anthony Beauvillier (21 goals, 15 assists, plus-2) and veterans Brock Nelson (19 goals, 16 assists, minus-4) and Andrew Ladd (11 goals, 17 assists, plus-10) round out a more than capable offensive unit up front.
New York's blueline took a major hit when defenseman Calvin de Haan was lost for the season after he elected to have shoulder surgery.
He injured his shoulder on December 16 against the Los Angeles Kings.
Prior to his injury, de Haan had appeared in 33 games and had notched one goal, 11 assists, was plus-11 and his 18:44 of ice time per game was third-best on the team.
Nick Leddy (10 goals, 32 assists, minus-42) is the Islanders' leader on the back end.
His 22:27 average ice time per game tops the Isles and his 42 points rank 24th overall among NHL defensemen.
Rookie Ryan Pulock has been solid on the blueline with nine goals, 21 assists, minus-6 and an average ice time of 18:15 per game.
Another youngster, 23-year-old Adam Pelech (three goals, 15 assists, plus-6, 19:16 ice time average), along with veteran Thomas Hickey, (five goals, 19 assists, and a team-best plus-19) anchor a defensive unit which has at best been adequate.
New York's Achilles' heel has been goaltending.
The Islanders' trio of Jaroslav Halak, Thomas Greiss and rookie Christopher Gibson, who has appeared in only eight games, ranks last in the NHL.
Halak is 20-26-6 with a 3.19 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and one shutout.
Greiss is 12-8-2, with a 3.86 goals-against average, an .890 save percentage and one shutout.
Saturday will be the Islanders' first ever game at Little Caesars Arena and the third meeting between the Wings and the Isles.
In the previous two meetings played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the Wings defeated the Islanders, 6-3, on December 19, with Trevor Daley getting the game-winner.
The Islanders beat the Wings, 7-6, in overtime on February 9 in a game where the Red Wings held a 5-2 lead midway through the third period, until Cal Clutterbuck drew a dubious five-minute major slashing penalty on Tyler Bertuzzi.
New York scored four power-play goals during the five-minute man advantage to take a 6-5 lead.
The Wings tied the game on a Mike Green goal at 19:31 of the third.
Brock Nelson scored at 3:15 in overtime to give the Islanders the win in a game where the Red Wings felt they deserved better.