The Collective Bargaining Agreement, crafted with fostering player retention in mind, is humming along at close to a perfect success rate.
The details built into the deal, and key situational factors it exploits, have obstructed player movement to the point where we simply no longer see superstars switch teams without the organizations that drafted and developed them, or acquired them previously, calling the shot.
Steven Stamkos is the most recent product of the system - and perhaps most representative. With little space to maneuver under the salary cap, the Tampa Bay Lightning had to dispute each dollar in talks with their captain, since they would never be able to offer close to what the sniper could fetch on the open market.
Stamkos held firm and waited until he could negotiate with other teams, but was in the end discouraged just the same. He belonged to a title contender in a desirable market, and the inappreciable state tax in Florida was there to offset losing out on that ostentatious eight-figure salary.
This is what the NHL fought hard for. And it's working, and preserving parity perhaps better than it would have imagined. But will it last?
John Tavares hasn't let on about any plans to leave, and the New York Islanders captain has remained firm in his conviction that he will sign a long-term extension with the club that drafted him first overall in 2009.
But should he?
Carousel
The Islanders were bad throughout the term on Tavares' entry-level deal, but with his progression, and fit with Matt Moulson, the club was showing genuine promise. Except a month into his second season on his current six-year contract, New York unexpectedly traded Tavares' primary winger, who in three previous full seasons scored at least 30 goals.
Looking back, the trade of Moulson could be viewed as impeccable foresight, as his career has fallen off the cliff since. But refusing to pay, or just simply discarding players who have lifted Tavares to his superstar status, has become routine on Long Island. Kyle Okposo is the latest, and perhaps most talented, on an lengthening list of players abruptly cut loose, leaving Tavares to make do this season with a mix of Andrew Ladd, Josh Bailey, Shane Prince, Anthony Beauvillier, and Jason Chimera.
Lack of continuity hasn't been a major concern from a production standpoint; Tavares has produced at precisely a point-per-game pace since losing his first trigger man. What he can't neutralize, however, is market instability.
Bo-rough
New York has ran into myriad problems since picking up and leaving Nassau County to move into a basketball arena in Brooklyn.
Poor lighting, obstructed sight-lines, and a scoreboard hanging off-center has made for an inadequate viewing experience for fans the stands, while the utility vehicle that sits behind the glass has thrown off those watching from home. This, and a taxing commute on the LIRR has sapped the in-arena atmosphere, resulting in the Islanders now drawing the fewest fans in the NHL.
But the issue thrust into the forefront this year, which has predominantly been the doing of Islanders coaches and players, is the persistent issue of ice quality, and an inadequate in-house maintenance system at Barclays Center that does not meet the NHL standard. Until it's fixed, and, more importantly, progress is made cleaning up other issues, the out clause ownership can trigger after three seasons in Brooklyn remains a very real possibility.
What makes that decision much more fascinating is that it coincides with their captain's deal expiring.
In seven months, Islanders GM Garth Snow can begin negotiating terms on a long-term contract with their captain for the 2018-19 season. Should Tavares sign for less than a max contract before the decision is made on where the Islanders will call home for the next decade, or without conditions improving in the slightest in tax-happy Brooklyn, it will be hard to identify the situational factors or pinpoint built-in incentives for Tavares to stay.
Instead, it would be an enormous demonstration of loyalty that the Islanders, to this point, haven't matched.
The Ten
10) Buffalo Sabres - The Sabres, and perhaps specifically their netminders, may have saved their season this week. After collecting just one win from their first six games, Buffalo beat the Panthers at home, and then the Jets and red-hot Wild on the road, allowing only two goals over that span.
9) Alex Ovechkin - He made the team's Western Canadian road trip incredibly special for a fan he spotted in the crowd in Edmonton, and then hosted a few nights later in Calgary.
8) Sidney Crosby - With two points in each of Pittsburgh's games this week, including three goals, and a readiness to accept and dole out contact, Crosby's alleviated concerns around the hockey world.
7) Jeff Skinner - On the topic of Sid, even he would have to be impressed by the backhand goal Skinner scored versus the Rangers this week. His five goals and 11 points in eight games is Skinner's best start to a season.
6) New York Rangers - This team looks legit. With Rick Nash, Kevin Hayes, and Jimmy Vesey contributing to a juggernaut offense, the Rangers took three of four and upped their goal differential to a league-best plus-18.
5) Anaheim Ducks - It's never a bad week when you sign a legitimate top pairing defenseman to a six-season deal at $5.25 million per.
4) Marcus Johansson - Johansson was tops among NHL point getters this week, scoring five goals and seven points to take over the team lead.
3) Montreal Canadiens - It has been as neat and tidy as it can possibly get. The Canadiens picked up another three wins, allowing just four goals, to preserve an undefeated regulation record in October.
2) Devan Dubnyk - Dubnyk's made 94 consecutive stops across three games, becoming the first goaltender in Wild history to record three straight shutouts.
1) Craig and Nicholle Anderson - For the Andersons, it's so far beyond the 37-save shutout and the overtime win that followed. It's the incredible strength and courage that the family has shown in the face of hardship.
More Takes
1) Can you break out ... defensively? Because Nazem Kadri's shutdown effort versus Connor McDavid sure seemed like it.
2) Jonathan Marchessault and Colton Sceviour have went from thrifty to absolutely essential in keeping the Panthers' head above water mighty quick. The pair's 11 goals are as many as the rest of the Panthers' forwards combined.
3) Tuukka Rask isn't getting nearly enough love for his performance so far this season. He's literally been the difference between the Bruins winning and losing with a 5-0 record and .961 save clip.
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