As much as signing John Tavares to a long-term contract extension would be a huge win for the New York Islanders, it's time to start being realistic. The best free agent to hit the open market in recent memory is highly unlikely to return to an organization that defines mediocrity and instability.

The Islanders, fresh off an abysmal season in which they finished 17 points out of a playoff spot, just relieved their head coach and general manager of their duties less than a month before free agency begins, and saw the latter replaced with 75-year-old Lou Lamoriello.

However, there is perhaps one silver lining associated with losing one of the game's best players in the prime of his career for absolutely nothing: a fresh start.

With Tavares gone, the Islanders will have no reason not to begin a full-on rebuild. If they couldn't even sniff the playoffs with Tavares on the roster, there's no point in using every resource available to compete for one within the next couple of seasons, considering the prospect pipeline isn't exactly ripening with talent.

Snow's GM tenure was such that he could have taken a page out of George Costanza's book and just done "the opposite" in running the club and probably would have improved the state of affairs. Despite all his shortcomings, he did somehow manage to leave the Islanders with one heavenly parting gift: Mathew Barzal.

Likely to be a unanimous selection for the Calder Trophy, Barzal gives the Islanders a new face of the franchise moving forward. A first-line center whose agility, hands, and vision represent everything about today's NHL, the Islanders can build a contender around Barzal, but they must avoid making the same mistakes Snow made while trying to do the same with Tavares.

Invest (competently) in the draft

After selecting Tavares first overall in 2009, the Islanders failed to build a supporting cast in subsequent drafts despite having numerous high picks.

2010, Nino Niederreiter (fifth overall): Niederreiter has developed into a good winger, but the Isles rushed him to the NHL, then traded him to the Minnesota Wild before his 21st birthday in exchange for Cal Clutterbuck and a third-round pick. The lesson here? Patience.

2011, Ryan Strome (fifth overall): The Isles envisioned Strome turning into a 2A center behind Tavares, and had they chosen any one of the next three skaters taken, they would've had such a player. The three picks after Strome, in order: Mika Zibanejad, Mark Scheifele, and Sean Couturier. Ouch.

2012, Griffin Reinhart (fourth overall): Peter Chiarelli's poor judgment bailed the Islanders out on this one, as Reinhart would eventually be swapped to Edmonton for the pick that would turn into Barzal. Nonetheless, if the Islanders were looking to bolster their blue line, they could not have been more off in their evaluation of this draft class' defensemen. Morgan Rielly, Hampus Lindholm, Matt Dumba, and Jacob Trouba made up four of the next five picks.

2013, Ryan Pulock (15th overall): Pulock has the makings of a solid NHL defenseman, which is fine relative to the draft slot. Snow gets a pass here.

2014, Michael Dal Colle (fifth overall): Much like the Reinhart pick, the Isles valued size and strength with this pick rather than speed and skill. Dal Colle did dominate junior in his draft year, but good scouting would've recognized that William Nylander (eighth overall) or Nikolaj Ehlers (ninth) had brighter NHL futures.

With a rebuild on the horizon, the Islanders can't afford to miss on high draft picks again. Rather than spending money on free agents, the Isles need to use those resources on hiring the best scouting department possible. Adding former Maple Leafs draft guru Mark Hunter to the front office would be a good start.

Build from the net out

In Snow's 12 years in charge, the Islanders finished in the bottom third of the league in goals against 10 times. Many of those seasons were right near the basement, too. One would think a goalie-turned-GM would've prioritized goal prevention, but clearly, that wasn't the case.

Their overall struggles came in spite of the fact that some of these Tavares-led teams had no issues putting the puck in the net, which is usually tougher to accomplish when constructing a roster.

While drafting the best player available should always be the main strategy, the Islanders clearly need to start gathering some quality goaltenders and defensemen into their farm system. Netminder Ilya Sorokin has shown promise overseas, but it's unclear when or if he'll come over to North America.

Avoid free agency, prioritize youth

Free agency has not been friendly to the Islanders over the years. Mikhail Grabovski's four-year, $20-million contract wound up costing them a first- and a second-round pick, while Andrew Ladd's $5.5-million cap hit will be on the books through 2022-23. These are just two examples.

Ill-advised in-house extensions have also set the Isles back. Johnny Boychuk, 34, is heading into the fourth season of a seven-year, $42-million contract.

The lesson here? Stay away from free agency - unless it's a low-risk, short-term deal - and don't sign any non-franchise player to an extension into their 30s if your team is not ready to compete for the Stanley Cup.

Yes, that includes Jordan Eberle and Anders Lee, who are unrestricted free agents after the 2018-19 season. Eberle, 28, and Lee, who will be 28 on July 3, should be traded this offseason. Coming off a 40-goal season, Lee's value will never be higher and players his size (6-foot-3, 231 pounds) tend not to age well. Eberle, a perennial 50-60-point player, could also fetch a significant return.

Snow likely would've paid Lee and Eberle handsomely into their mid-30s, so the Isles should do the opposite. Trade them both at peak value in exchange for prospects and picks.

Instead of filling the roster with middling veterans, the Isles should see what they have in some of their younger players, such as Dal Colle and Josh Ho-Sang, even if they haven't exactly wowed in the AHL. If the younger players don't perform, they'll at least gain some valuable NHL experience.

The youth movement should carry over to the bench as well. Hiring a coach who excels at developing young players should be made a priority.

Would Lou go for a rebuild?

It may seem hard to believe that Lamoriello would have interest in kick-starting a rebuild in what will likely be his swan song. However, he's left his fingerprints all over Toronto's uprising, and if he could right the Islanders ship, it would only further cement his legacy.

Plus, if Lou's son, Chris (currently the Isles' assistant GM), were to take over the reigns one day, Lou would surely want to leave the team in good hands and headed in the right direction.

Ownership would likely have no issues buying in as well. If the rebuild were to begin now, the team could be well on its way toward success by 2021 when its new arena at Belmont Park is ready for use. Constructing a young and exciting team with a bright future is the best way to get fans in the seats. Plus, it's the opposite of what Snow would've done, so it must be right.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The New York Islanders' firing of Garth Snow and Doug Weight shouldn't impede their attempts to re-sign John Tavares.

On Monday, the team announced that Snow and Weight were relieved of their duties and that president of hockey operations, Lou Lamoriello, will assume the role as general manager. Following the announcement, Lamoriello noted that the club's attempt to re-sign its captain did not factor into the personnel changes.

"That certainly has not and did not enter into any of the decisions that were made," Lamoriello said, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

Tavares will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Last month it was reported that Lamoriello had met with Tavares on behalf of the Islanders ahead of officially joining the team as president of hockey ops.

Tavares has spent his entire nine-year career with the Islanders since being picked first overall in 2009, where he's tallied 272 goals and 621 points in 669 games.

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Who doesn't love trades?

With 29 of 31 teams focusing on offseason plans, we take a look at who could potentially be on the move this summer, starting with a candidate from each Eastern Conference team.

Atlantic Division

Boston Bruins: David Backes

The Bruins electing to give Backes a five-year deal in 2015 was a red flag from the get-go, but after another injury-riddled season, Boston might want to find a taker for his hefty salary and give younger, quicker players within the organization a bigger role.

Buffalo Sabres: Ryan O'Reilly

O'Reilly is an incredibly effective pivot, and year after year of losing in Buffalo has taken its toll. If the Sabres choose to move forward with a youthful core built around Jack Eichel, Casey Mittelstadt, and Rasmus Dahlin, making their No. 2 center available could create a bidding war and fetch some nice future assets.

Detroit Red Wings: Luke Glendening

He's not the most glamorous name on the list but Glendening won 58 percent of his draws last season, and the Red Wings would be wise to shed as much long-term salary as possible.

Florida Panthers: Mark Pysyk

Panthers general manager Dale Tallon should be forever barred from dealing forwards after the expansion draft fiasco, but he may be able to find a nice market for Pysyk: a low-cost, right-handed blue-liner that several teams could use.

Montreal Canadiens: Alex Galchenyuk

Galchenyuk's tenure in Montreal has been far from smooth sailing, and perhaps a fresh start is needed to fully maximize his offensive talents. Shipping the sniper out won't completely fix what ails the Habs, but building upon the nine picks they own in the first four rounds of this year's draft seems like a reasonable step moving forward.

Ottawa Senators: Erik Karlsson

Karlsson Watch is back on, and after the Senators didn't pull the trigger on a deal at the deadline, the offseason is their last chance to fetch a king's ransom for their captain. Of course, he could re-sign, or Ottawa could wait until the next deadline, but teams will be willing to pay a lot more for a full year of services from the best defenseman on the planet.

Tampa Bay Lightning: J.T. Miller

Miller was brought in to help the Lightning win a Stanley Cup, but in need of a new contract, the 25-year-old could find himself on the move again. Tampa Bay would probably love to keep him, but how much can Steve Yzerman realistically offer with extensions for Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy on the horizon?

Toronto Maple Leafs: Matt Martin

Martin isn't going to bring back the top-four defenseman that the Leafs desperately covet, but there's no point in spending $2.5 million for a veteran fourth-liner to sit in the press box.

Metropolitan Division

Carolina Hurricanes: Justin Faulk

New Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon made it clear that he wants some changes, and Faulk could be a candidate to be traded over the younger defensemen Carolina has in-house.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Brandon Dubinsky

Dubinsky endured a difficult 2017-18 season, but plain and simple: His contract isn't doing the Blue Jackets any favors.

His modified no-trade clause would cause some complications in the market, but the veteran is eating key salary on a team that needs to pay Zach Werenski and Sergei Bobrovsky big bucks in the near future.

New Jersey Devils: Damon Severson

Severson is young, reasonably priced for five more seasons, a good puck mover, and can chip in offensively, yet he was a healthy scratch at times in the regular season and was left out of the lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs. If the Devils don't want to give him a full opportunity, surely they can sell him to someone willing to pay.

New York Islanders: Cal Clutterbuck

Until captain John Tavares makes his decision, it's hard to focus on any other Isles player, but Clutterbuck's onerous contract is one new boss Lou Lamoriello should strongly consider getting rid of.

New York Rangers: Mats Zuccarello

Trading Zuccarello is far from a necessity, but he's one of the only Rangers with any market value. The 30-year-old's contract expires after next season, and New York, without any realistic championship expectations in the coming years, could feasibly ship him out over the summer to add more future pieces.

Philadelphia Flyers: Brian Elliott

The Flyers have three goalies under contract but don't boast any reliable ones to occupy the crease. Philly is best served to shed the elder statesman of the bunch, and come to terms with restricted free agent Petr Mrazek.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Phil Kessel

*$1.2 million in salary retained by Maple Leafs

Even after a career-best 92-point season, the speculation surrounding Kessel's possible departure out of Pittsburgh seems to have gained some traction. Numerous teams could use his firepower up front, but the Penguins have to consider the risks of subtracting a key cog in the offensive machine that led to back-to-back championships.

Washington Capitals: Philipp Grubauer

Rather than going through negotiations, why not simply deal Grubauer to a team in need of a goaltender upgrade? The 26-year-old is talented enough to warrant outside interest, and prospect Ilya Samsonov appears ready to assume backup duties after inking his entry-level contract.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The New York Islanders have dismissed general manager Garth Snow and head coach Doug Weight, with president of hockey operations Lou Lamoriello assuming the GM role, the club announced Tuesday.

Lamoriello will immediately begin the process of finding the team's next head coach.

He joined the Islanders in late May after leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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A Connor McDavid rookie card was recently sold via an online auction for $55,655 USD, a new record for a modern card, according to PWCC Marketplace.

The modern era consists of cards produced since 1986, and the most lucrative collectible prior to "The Cup Connor McDavid Rookie Auto Patch" from Upper Deck fetched $18,100 - another McDavid card.

With a $12.5-million salary set to kick in next season, McDavid himself could purchase 224 copies of the ultra-valuable card.

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As we approach the climax of the Stanley Cup Final and the NHL season as a whole, it's time to take one more look at the top contenders for the Conn Smythe Trophy.

The Washington Capitals find themselves on the cusp of the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history, holding a 3-1 series lead. Consequently, four of the five front-runners for playoff MVP sport red, white, and blue.

Here's where we stand after the Capitals' convincing win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 on Monday:

5. Nicklas Backstrom

Backstrom has flown under the radar in these playoffs thanks to the stellar performances of some of his teammates, but his terrific play-making ability has undoubtedly been a factor in Washington's Cup run.

The Swedish center missed four games due to injury, but he's excelled when healthy. He's provided steady production on the Capitals' second line, alongside a nearly equally productive T.J. Oshie, giving Washington a lethal top-six.

4. Marc-Andre Fleury

Fleury was the Conn Smythe favorite for most of this postseason, and he has been the biggest reason for the Golden Knights' success, but he's looked human lately.

The veteran netminder was simply overwhelmed Monday night, allowing six goals on 23 shots, and he's given up 16 in the four Cup Final games.

Had Fleury continued to play lights-out, he would have remained a Conn Smythe favorite, even in a losing effort, but his play has simply slipped.

3. Braden Holtby

Holtby has made his fair share of game-saving stops throughout the Capitals' run, none more memorable than "The Save" in Game 2 versus Vegas. He's had a few hiccups, sure, but the former Vezina winner has been outstanding on the whole.

Fleury still holds an edge in the save percentage department because of how good the Golden Knights goalie was for most of the playoffs, but Holtby has allowed only five goals in the last three games.

If Holtby continues to stymie Vegas the way he has for most of this series, he'll have a legitimate case.

2. Alex Ovechkin

Ovechkin's pursuit of a long-elusive title is arguably the best story of the playoffs, and he's one of the biggest reasons the Capitals are on the verge of winning it all.

The "Great Eight" is tied with Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele for the postseason lead in goals. He's scored two in the Cup Final to go along with a pair of assists.

Ovechkin, the heart and soul of his club for more than a decade, has always shouldered a disproportionate amount of blame for Washington's playoff failures. But now, with the tables turned, it's time to give credit where it's due.

1. Evgeny Kuznetsov

Kuznetsov has simply been the best player in these playoffs.

Ovechkin has been the Capitals' leader and top scorer. Holtby has been excellent for the most part, and exceptional at key moments. However, Kuznetsov has been the best, leading all skaters in playoff points and trailing only Ovechkin and the vanquished Scheifele in goals.

Another four-point game for Kuznetsov on Monday night - his second such effort and fourth game with at least three points in this postseason - made him the clear favorite to win the Conn Smythe.

Would it be a crime to give the award to Ovi, or even to Holtby? No. But it should be Kuznetsov's to lose, whether he cares about it or not.

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It hardly matters after the fact, but the Vegas Golden Knights certainly had early chances to potentially change the outcome of a 6-2 loss in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The game's best chance early on fell on the stick of James Neal, one of the best pure shooters in the league. With the game scoreless, he faced a wide-open cage with Braden Holtby and the Capitals' defense at his mercy.

He rung the post. After the game, he lamented that things would have been much different had he converted.

"On this stage, at that moment, it changes the game," Neal said, per Sportsnet's Luke Fox.

Washington opened the scoring shortly after with a power-play tally, which would set the wheels in motion. Neal struggled to come to grips with his inexplicable miss.

"Man, you want those chances," he said. "Nine times out of 10, you probably put that in the back of the net. It's like I had the composure to wait, and then you shoot it, and you're like 'Oh,' and the way it hit the post and still came out? I mean, it's ... I don't know, it's tough. It's not like anyone made a save. I had a wide-open net, and then I just hit the post."

The Capitals went on to score three more unanswered goals en route to a convincing win despite the Golden Knights controlling the pace for much of the game.

Neal buried his sixth of the postseason in the third period, but it's certainly not the one on his mind as the series shifts back to Vegas for Game 5.

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WASHINGTON – Asked if he’d given winning the Conn Smythe Trophy any thought, Evgeny Kuznetsov shook his head and grinned. Not a chance.

He’ll take a Stanley Cup victory, though.

The Washington Capitals routed the Vegas Golden Knights 6-2 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday to take a commanding 3-1 lead. They’ll have a chance to claim their first championship in the franchise’s 43-year history on Thursday in Game 5 at T-Mobile Arena.

Kuznetsov hasn’t thought that far ahead, either.

"I never been there, you know? And I don't really care about that yet, so it's kind of easy for me," Kuznetsov said. "You know me, I always stay loose a little bit especially off the games. I'm pretty sure when game gonna come, we're gonna a little bit think about it. It's pretty hard to not think about that."

A front-runner for the Conn Smythe, Kuznetsov assisted on four of Washington’s six goals in Game 4 and has 31 points in 23 games. And while he has 12 goals this postseason, he’s just fine with getting the assists, too.

"He has a huge effect on every game," linemate Tom Wilson said. "It’s not easy to be a star in the league, have to bring it every night. It’s the wear and tear, you’re playing big minutes. He’s the kind of guy that doesn’t care. He just keeps going."

Vegas came out swinging in the early parts of Game 4, but James Neal hitting the post on a wide-open net in the first period underscored their frustration. The Capitals led 3-0 by the end of the opening stanza.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

"I’ve been on the other side of that and it’s deflating," Capitals defenseman Brett Connolly said of Neal’s miss. "They played well early. They came at us and they’re not gonna stop."

Neal and Reilly Smith scored in the third to narrow the deficit to 4-2, but the Capitals responded with two more goals to send the Golden Knights’ Cinderella season to the brink of a heartbreaking end.

"It could have been a different hockey game if they scored on their power play so we got a little lucky there and I don’t know maybe it shouldn’t have been a 3-0 lead after the first, but you know we will take it," Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom said. "We are not going to feel sorry for them."

The third period was punctuated by "We Want the Cup" chants from the crowd at Capital One Arena. Outside, streets were filled with thousands of fans chanting the same thing. Kuznetsov said the players heard that and fed off it, too.

"That's always emotional stuff and give us a lot of positive energy," Kuznetsov said. "But we feel their energy. I don't want to lie. Sometimes you feel when people cheering against you, you feel the energy too. In this playoff we're not very good at home, but in this series we keep the crowd happy. That's big thing for us."

What the Capitals did in Game 4, and what they’ll have to do in Game 5, is the same thing they’ve done this entire postseason - show up when it matters most.

"When it mattered we were able to get it done," coach Barry Trotz said. "And that’s what this team has done over the course of the playoffs. Even when we’re maybe not at our best we’ve been able to get it done and when it mattered we’ve been able to get it complete."

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