You can’t say they didn’t see this coming.
John Tavares’ Thursday return to the Coliseum to face the Islanders as a member of the Maple Leafs went as expected, with boos from spurned fans raining down on the star forward.
Aside from the boos and profanities, Tavares also had to dodge a couple of plastic snakes and a jersey tossed at him during warmups.Islanders fans had the visit from the Maple Leafs circled on their calendar after Tavares spurned the franchise that drafted him with the top pick in the 2009 draft for the one that he rooted for as a child, signing a seven-year, $77 million contract last offseason.
“Well, I left,” Tavares said before the game. “I think I had every right to go through the process that I went through. I tried to be open and honest when I made my decision.
“I had no idea what I was going to do until I made my decision. People can take it whatever way they want, but I’m just going to go out there and play and do what I have to do to be at my best. All I can do is control what I can control.”
It’s safe to say that didn’t include the emotions of a jilted fanbase.