New York Islanders captain John Tavares isn't officially a free agent yet, but he will listen to what a handful of teams have to say, Tavares' agent Pat Brisson told reporters in Dallas. That list reportedly includes the Sharks.
San Jose will reportedly meet with Tavares in Los Angeles on Monday, according to multiple reports. The Dallas Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs are also "assured of meetings," according to The Athletic's Arthur Staple, while the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights may also meet with the 27-year-old. But, meetings may be as far as any of those teams get, Staple noted.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The Islanders' No. 1 pick in 2009, Tavares would be the best free agent available should he opt to leave New York, and arguably the best forward to hit unrestricted free agency in years. Since entering the league, Tavares ranks fifth in goals (272), and ninth in points (621), higher than any current Shark in either category. He's won gold with Canada at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and made the All-Star Game five times, including in each of the last four seasons.
This week, the Sharks positioned themselves to acquire Tavares, or another player via trade or free agency by clearing about $7 million in salary cap space. San Jose traded winger Mikkel Boedker ($4 million salary cap hit) to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, and placed veteran defenseman Paul Martin on unconditional waivers with the intention of buying out his contract on Friday. Martin cleared waivers on Saturday, freeing about $2.83 million this season, according to CapFriendly, or around $3.2 million, which the Sharks cited to reporters at the draft on Friday.
Either way, that gives San Jose right around $19 million in salary cap space this summer. Dylan DeMelo, Tomas Hertl, and Chris Tierney remain unsigned as restricted free agents, while pending unrestricted free agent Joe Thornton has expressed a desire to return to the Sharks.
San Jose reportedly met with a former No. 1 pick ahead of free agency two summers ago, only to see him return to his club. The Sharks were believed to be one of four teams to meet with Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos in 2016, according to SportsNet's Elliotte Friedman.
