Here'sJohn Tavares' dilemma: In the eight seasons and counting since the Islanders drafted him first overall, he's served dutifully as the franchise's face and captain, quickly realizingthe preordained NHL stardom . It's theIslanders who haven't always held up their end of the bargain.And while Tavares insists that doesn't change his desire to remain in Brooklyn (or Long Island, or Belmont, ), he so yearns for a Stanley Cup. The rest of the NHL has been watching. MORE: Tavares, owner of the league's friendliest contract, signed in 2011, is due a major raise. That it didn't arrive July 1, 2017, was mildly disconcerting. He and the front office preached about getting "something done as soon as po sible" at season's end after the Islanders mi sed the playoffs for thefifth time in Tavares'career. And speculation about the2018 free agent cla s topped by a 27-year-old Tavares only intensifies as weekspa s without a long-term deal. Increasingly, it sounds like negotiations areheaded down the same path as counterpart Steven Stamkos. The Lightning captain, of course, spent the 2015-16 season dealing with rumors he would bolt forhis hometown Maple Leafs and a boatload of cash. After a high-profile courting proce s, he elected to stay put in Tampatwo days before free agency. Brad Peacock Jersey Stamkossaid he felt it was his best shot at winning a Cup for the first time. But does Tavares feel the same way? The Islanders and GM Garth Snow know Tavares is key to any championship shot, but haven't done well coloring around him. MORE: This summer, Snow acquired Jordan Eberle toplay on Tavares' wing and paid a king's ransom of draft picks to ensure the expansion Golden Knights wouldn't poach top talent from the lineup that might impede the team'sability to win now. He got those picks back and then some in exchange for defensive stalwart Travis Hamonic, but they'll be for naught if not flipped for anotherdifference makerbefore the season, likethe Avalanche's Matt Duchene. All of this is part of the Isles' pitch to convince Tavares to sign a long-term extensionin New York. And thatindoing so, he's better suited towin sooner and later than he would be in Toronto, Montreal, Detroit, Tampa Bay, et al. But that's where things get murky for everyoneinvolved. The bar was raised for star players whenConnor McDavidsigned his$100 million ($12.5M AAV) extension with the Oilers. McDavidled the NHL in scoring and won his first MVP at the tender age of 20, so he's an exceptional case. But he left money on the table. What does McDavid'smonster contract mean for a player of Tavares' ilkwho hits the open market in his prime? The Islanders' offer has been rumored to exceed $10 million per year, butTavarescould conceivably approach$12 million in a bidding war. Is he worth the moneyin the salary cap era?If so, who's doing the bidding? Francisco Liriano Jersey MORE: Toronto's situation is vastly differentsince its pursuit of Stamkos, altered bythe instant stardom of Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner. It may no longer make financial sense for the Leafs to throw an expensive homecoming for Tavares, an Ontario native,with the kids due big-money extensions in the next two years and another $18.75million committed to 37-year-old Patrick Marleau. Tavares has done his best tosquashthose rumors anyhow. The 2018 unrestricted free agent cla s has already lost some of its luster withthe likes ofCarey Price (eight years, $84 million), Cam Fowler (eight years, $52 million), Marc-Edouard Vlasic (eight years, $56 million) and Martin Jones (six years, $35.5 million) inking big extensions. That's the top two goalies and top two defensemen. Below is a primer for every projected UFA next summer,ranked and sorted into tiers behind the undisputed No. 1. The cla s likely will look different come July 2018. How muchdifferent will be upto Tavares. Money makers 2. Cam Atkinson, RW, Blue Jackets ... Financial hurdles aside, Columbuswon't loseAtkinson, now entrenched in thatcore as one of the NHL's topgoal scorers. 3. John Carlson, D, Capitals ... Washington will do its best to keep Carlson. But thistop-pair, right-shot defenseman projects to hita slimmarket at 28.You do the math. 4. Kyle Turris, C, Senators ... Turris can be up and down, but No. 1 playmakingcenters don't enter free agencyoften, especially not 28-year-old ones. 5. Evander Kane, LW, Sabres At 26, Kane will be theyoungest UFA forward in the 2018 cla s. Another 28-goal season would dull the character concerns. 6. James van Riemsdyk, LW, Maple Leafs ... If Kane and Atkinson re-sign, van Riesmdyk stands to become the most sought-afterscoring wingernext summer. 7. Ilya Kovalchuk, LW, KHL ... Never mind he'll be 35. Kovalchuk'sproven history of scoring goals in the NHL entices. It'll draw a bidding war. 8.Mikael Backlund, C, Flames Alex Bregman Jersey ... Backlund, 28, should build oncareer totals of 22 goals and53 points for a sizable raise, in Calgary or elsewhere. 9. James Neal, LW, Golden Knights Neal figuresto lead Vegas in scoring when he'sflipped at the trade deadline, then reap the rewards in free agency. 10. Rick Nash, LW/RW, Rangers ... No longer a dominant force but Nash, 34 next summer, is still plenty capable. A strong 2017-18 will earn him one last big payment. 11. Paul Stastny, C, Blues Health is always an i sue, but Stastny, 31,is reliable when on the ice. He hasnt played 75 games in a season since 2011-12. 12. Henrik Sedin, C, Canucks ... One a sumes the Sedintwins are a package deal. It's hard to imagine them finishing their careers any place else. 13. Daniel Sedin, LW, Canucks That said, the Swedish brothers will be 37 on July 1, 2018, and may no longerfit in the rebuilding Canucks' plans. 14. Mikko Koivu, C, Wild ... Koivuwill be on the wrong side of 35 this time next year, but he's still an effective two-way center. Reliable as they come. 15.Bryan Little, C, Jets ... One of the mostunderrated centers in the game and barely pushing 30. If Winnipeg can't lockhim up,someone else will. 16. Patric Hornqvist, LW/RW, Penguins ... A virtual lock for 20-plus goals who plays important, physical minutes up and down the lineup. Wild cards 17. Joe Thornton, C, Sharks The future Hall of Famer may well run out of gas beforeJuly 1, 2018. Maybe not. He'll turn 39 the next day. 18. Jon Marche sault, LW, Golden Knights ... A true wild card. IfMarche sault, 26, showshis breakout 30-goal season was no fluke, watch out. 19. Mike Green, D, Red Wings ... Green's best days are behind him, but he'll top 35 points with ease fora team that can shelterhis defensive deficiencies. 20. Josh Bailey, C, Islanders ... If Tavares jumps ship, Bailey, 28 next summer, almost certainly will stay. But the Isles may not be able to afford both. 21. Antti Raanta, G, Coyotes ... Raanta'slooked the part of a No. 1in limited capacity, but has to prove it. If so, he'll strike it rich as the top option ina razor-thin goalie cla s. 22. Ian Cole, D, Penguins ... If Colereplicates his 2016-17 production, he'll be due a big payday from the Penguins or another team. 23. Tyler Bozak, C, Maple Leafs ... Bozak is nothing flashy but could command a high price tag with another 50-point season. 24. Jack Jose Altuve Jersey Johnson, D, Blue Jackets ... Johnson, 30, enters 2017-18 a motivated man. This contract, his last shot at a big payday, follows a very public bankruptcy saga. 25. Craig Anderson, G, Senators ... A suming Anderson, 36,continues to defy Father Time, he'll be one of a few (only?) starting-caliber goalies available. 26.David Perron, LW, Golden Knights ... Premium top-six minutes await in Vegas. Perronhas the talent to take advantage in a contract year. 27. Toby Enstrom, D, Jets ... Enstrom is likely an odd man out on Winnipeg's crowded blue line. At 33, he'll still have something to give another team. 28. Zdeno Chara, D, Bruins ... Like Thornton, we could see the last of Chara this season. He'll be 41 next summer. 29. Patrick Maroon, LW, Oilers ... Maroon will have Connor McDavidto thank for whatever ma sive overpayment comes his way in 2018. 30. Michael Grabner, RW, Rangers ... Grabnerrecaptured his long-lost scoring touch in 2016-17. If he tops 25 goals again, someone will pay him. Best of the rest 31. Andrew Cogliano, C, Ducks 32. Lars Eller, C/LW, Capitals 33. Leo Komarov, C, Maple Leafs 34. Jonathan Bernier, G, Avalanche 35. Jannik Hansen, LW, Sharks 36. Dan Hamhuis, D, Stars 37. Jaroslav Halak, G, Islanders 38. Kris Versteeg, Houston Astros Jersey LW, Flames 39. Tomas Plekanec, C, Canadiens 40. Chris Kunitz, LW, Lightning 41. Valtteri Filppula, C/LW, Flyers 42. Eddie Lack, G, Flames 43. Luca Sbisa, D, Golden Knights 44. Thomas Hickey, D, Islanders 45. Andrej Sustr, D, Lightning 46. Chris Stewart, RW, Wild 47. John Moore, D, Devils 48. Antoine Vermette, C/LW, Ducks 49. Erik Condra, RW, Lightning 50. Lee Stempniak, RW, Hurricanes 51. Brayden McNabb, D, Golden Knights 52. Matt Read, RW, Flyers 53. Chad Johnson, G, Sabres 54. Luke Schenn, D, Coyotes 55. Ju si Jokinen, LW/RW, Oilers 56. Ondrej Pavelec, G, Rangers 57. Michael Hutchinson, G, Jets 58. Alexei Emelin, D, Predators 59. Carter Hutton, G, Blues 60. Matt Calvert, LW, Blue Jackets 61. J.T. Brown, RW, Lightning 62. Erik Gudbranson, D, Canucks 63. Cam Ward, G, Hurricanes 64. Mark Letestu, C/RW, Oilers 65. Brandon Manning, D, Flyers 66. Joe Colborne, C/LW, Avalanche 67. Shawn Matthias, C/LW, Jets 68. Kari Lehtonen, G, Stars 69. Eric Fehr, C/RW, Maple Leafs 70. David Desharnais, C, Rangers 71. Magnus Paajarvi, LW, Blues 72. Joel Ward, RW, Sharks 73. Jason Garrison, D, Golden Knights 74. Antoine Rou sel, LW, Stars 75. Nicolas Deslauriers, LW, Sabres