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          New York Islanders

          Isles lose Tavares for season: What's next?

          • Katie Strang, ESPN.comFeb 20, 2014, 12:08 PM ET
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              Katie Strang covers the Detroit Tigers for ESPN.com. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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          John Tavares

          John Tavares

          #91 C
          New York Islanders

          2014 STATS

          • GM59

          • G24

          • A42

          • PTS66

          • +/--6

          • PIM40

          By now you have heard the sobering news out of Sochi, Russia, where John Tavares sustained a tournament and season-ending knee injury in Canada's quarterfinal win over Latvia on Wednesday.

          The news is a tough blow to Team Canada, but even more devastating to an Islanders squad already reeling heading into the Olympic break.

          ESPN.com's Craig Custance writes an excellent analysis of both the short-term and long-term implications of this injury for the Islanders, evaluating the impact of Tavares' absence, the Islanders' pending trade-deadline plans, and a tough decision facing GM Garth Snow over which first-round pick to part with in the (likely) event of a bottom-10 finish for the Isles this season.

          Take some time to check it out right here (Insider subscription required).