Quoting: ON3M4N
As many know, If a player re-signs with their current team, the maximum length offer is 8 years while the rest of the league can only offer 7 years. If JT didn't want to re-sign with the Islanders, what would the value be for another team to do a sign & trade in order to gain the 8th year of control? Being only 27yrs old JT would be around 35 when the contract expired so he should still be a solid contributor towards the end of his contract.
I'd say a 1st and a prospect, but it depends on Tavares.
If he demands an 8th year with a new team, Snow has to do his best to comply, otherwise he walks for nothing.
Snow has to save face in that scenario.
Getting a 1st and a prospect for a player that is leaving anyway, is a win. If he is willing to stick to his guns and go all or nothing, the other team will comply to keep Tavares off the market. He'd be playing chicken, but he has nothing to lose.
At least if Tavares walks for nothing, he can "blame" the player. If he does a sign and trade for say, a 2nd, he bears responsibility for the mediocre return.
If Snow's job isn't in jeopardy, it doesn't matter.
If it is, only a good return can save him.
In either case, all or nothing is his best option.