Toronto Maple Leafs star John Tavares to argue against $8M tax bill

It is unusual for a player of Tavares’ stature to become an unrestricted free agent, as he was, free to sign wherever he wished, because most big stars resign with their teams. So the interest was at a fever pitch. They met with the New York Islanders, for whom Tavares had played since being the top draft pick in 2009, and also Tampa Bay, Boston, Dallas, Toronto, Las Vegas, and others.