Players don't tank.

Tanking.

It’s a word that will never be uttered out loud by league or team employees, but it is an ideology that certainly plays a role in professional sports.

For a team struggling, an opportunity to draft high and get a franchise-altering player is very attractive. 

Look at New York Islanders fans right now with Long Island native James Hagens, the projected No. 1 overall pick. 

In his freshman season at Boston College, Hagens has five goals and 15 assists for 20 points in 16 games, with two goals and four assists for six points in three games at the IIHF World Junior Championships. 

The Islanders have struggled this season and find themselves three points out of last place in the Eastern Conference. 

A portion of the fan base wants the Islanders to lose games for a chance at the kid from Hauppage. 

With the lottery system, it’s truly a “hey, you never know” kind of thing. 

Islanders' general manager, Lou Lamoriello, could sell Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, to name a few. If the return is draft capital, the Islanders certainly get weaker in the short term, which could help increase their odds of getting a higher pick.

But, only general managers can "tank". 

Just look at the New York Giants as a perfect example.

Unlike in hockey, where there is a draft lottery, the NHL rewards the worst team with the first overall pick. 

General manager Joe Shoen elected not to bolster his squad at the 2024 Trade Deadline amidst their 2-7 record.

All the talk since has been about who the Giants will be drafting with one of the top picks. The conversation had grown louder and louder with each passing loss.

The Giants are a terrible football team, so their losses weren’t because of a tank job. It just was working out that way.

The “tank” has been fully on, and entering their Sunday showdown with the Indianapolis Colts at 2-13, the expected result was a 14 in the loss column.

The Giants front office likely wanted it, and so did 90% of the fan base.

But the Giants coaches and players played their hearts out, winning 45-33.

This win put a wrench in the tank plan, as other teams vying for a top pick also lost, meaning the Giants fell down a few draft spots.   

Many may look at the Islanders and say, like the Giants, they are just a mediocre team, and they should lose as much as possible to have a chance at Hagens. 

Honestly, they may do that whether they sell at the deadline, stand pat, or, dare I say, buy.

But, regardless of what you think about their effort and mental toughness, no one on this roster is throwing games.

It’s an impossible ask that no professional athlete in their right mind would do.

So you can continue to wish for them to tank for Hagens, but if the season ends and the Islanders are involved in the Hagens sweepstake, it won’t because the players tried to.

So, there's no point in rooting for that to happen.