John Tavares leaves Islanders, heads home to Toronto
Isles captain departs after spending his first nine seasons with New York
July 2, 2018 By John Wawrow & Stephen Whyno Associated Press
In this Feb. 21, 2017, file photo, New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) celebrates his goal against the Detroit Red Wings in the third period of an NHL hockey game, in Detroit. Superstar center John Tavares is going home, agreeing to terms on a $77 million, seven-year contract with his childhood team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tavares announced his intentions on Twitter on Sunday, July 1, 2018. AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File
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John Tavares needed to post only one picture on his Twitter account to explain the grip the Maple Leafs have had on him since he was a youngster growing up in suburban Toronto.
The photo featured a not-yet-10-year-old Tavares in bed, asleep on a pillowcase and under a blanket adorned with Maple Leafs logos, and accompanied by a note that read: “Not everyday you can live a childhood dream.”
In bidding farewell to the New York Islanders, where he was the captain and face of the franchise since being drafted with the No. 1 pick in 2009, Tavares chose Toronto and agreed to a seven-year, $77 million contract about an hour after the NHL’s free-agency signing period opened Sunday.