"Being where we are is tough," said Tavares, who has been Islanders captain since 2013-14. "Missing the playoffs is tough. It [stinks]. We're going to be watching again, so it's another missed opportunity."
Tavares, who is in the final season of a six-year contract he signed Sept. 15, 2011, has been eligible for a new contract since July 1, 2017. His future has been a hot topic all season but he said he's done his best to ignore any distractions.
"I can't control [the attention]," he said. "I just try to be myself and try to approach it the way I feel best. I think I said since early in the season I'd try to give everything I have to this group for as long as it goes. Obviously, the season will end on Saturday, so I don't really try to think about it that way. I just try to go about it the right way, try to handle myself the way I believe is right and be the best captain I can be."
Coach Doug Weight said Tavares' impending free agency never was a distraction.
"I think as far as what he said he was going to do and how he was going to handle it, he's done that," Weight said. "That's why I was so confident about it, because I knew he was going to do what he said."
Fans at Barclays Center likely will make their voices heard trying to convince Tavares to stay. He said the enthusiasm of Islanders fans is something that will be part of his considerations for his future.
"People have been very supportive," he said. "Our fan base has been tremendous from the day I got here. Obviously, people say certain things. I hope it all works out, too, and I'm back as well. That's all I can really control right now. I just want to focus on one game at a time and finishing the season strong.
"The days and weeks ahead, I'll have plenty of time to think about it and start looking at the future and moving forward."
