Tavares won't rush decision on future: 'I've earned the right to take my time'

John Tavares is officially on the clock.

With the regular season now a thing of the past, the 27-year-old New York Islanders franchise center can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and it's time for him to get serious about making a decision.

"I've got to take some time to see how things go over the next few days and few weeks and collect my thoughts and move on from there," Tavares said Monday, according to Brian Compton of NHL.com. "I think I've earned the right to take my time. I don't know if it will be a week, two weeks, a month, two months, I don't really know."

Tavares added that he's still processing the way the Islanders' season played out, and noted that he hasn't considered who might make him an offer if things get to that point.

"You don't know how many opportunities you get to get to this point and possibly see what the landscape is," Tavares said. "I don't even necessarily know if that's really what I want to do yet. I've always stated how much I love it here. It's emotional either way. Great organization, great place to play. Obviously, I want it to work out here."

If Tavares does hit the open market, he'll become one of the most prolific free agents in hockey history, having recorded 621 points in 669 games since the Islanders selected him first overall in 2009.