The media scrum around John Tavares stresses what Isles are dealing with

LOS ANGELES — Here is the reality that might be lost back in New York, where Islanders captain John Tavares goes about his business in relative anonymity:

In the spotlight leading up to the NHL All-Star Game, which went down at Staples Center on Sunday afternoon, Tavares was inundated with questions about his future. The media from Toronto asked him about the possibility of signing with his hometown Maple Leafs, and the national media pestered him about the conditions of life at Barclays Center, a franchise that just fired its coach, Jack Capuano, and one that has some uncertainty in its front office with new majority owners Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin having just taken over.

Tavares, 26, is working on the league’s biggest discount contract, a $5.5 million annual salary-cap hit through next season. The one-time Hart Trophy finalist can sign an extension with the Islanders on July 1, and he has repeatedly made it clear he wants to stay with the team that drafted him with the No. 1-overall pick in the 2009 draft. He also reiterated this weekend he’s open to any contract discussion that might be had with the Islanders once that time comes.

But at home, he answers those questions every once in a while. Under the league-wide microscope, it again becomes clear what a star he really is at the national level and how his upcoming decision will impact those around the league.

“Life goes on at the weekend,” Tavares told The Post recently, before he had two goals while his Metropolitan Division won the 3-on-3 tournament in a 4-3 victory in the final game over the Pacific. “It’s more than just a game. The appearances and kind of the celebration the league has to put on, the interaction with the fans the sponsors and whatnot. So it can be a little bit busy.”

Fact is, Tavares has been busy at home trying to shoulder as much responsibility as he can for the Islanders’ awful start, which came to a head with Capuano’s firing on Jan. 10. Although his individual game wasn’t too far off, he had not produced in the expected way.

Tavares had a 12-game stretch from Dec. 13 through Jan. 11 when he put up just two goals and three assists. But he then had a hat trick on Jan. 13 in Florida, which started a run of eight goals and five assists in the eight games going into the break.

“Not as consistent as I would’ve liked, I think as a team and personally, and it wasn’t the start we wanted,” Tavares said. “I think production-wise, I feel like I’m actually playing really well, pretty consistent all year, but it’s nice to finally capitalize and get rewarded and burying opportunities and creating opportunities.”

It also happens that the Isles have gone 6-1-1 during Tavares’ hot streak, getting themselves back into relevancy, five points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with three teams to leapfrog.

“All of January we’ve had that sense of urgency,” Tavares said. “Then with the big change with Cappy being let go, obviously it made that even more apparent. As the games go by, you get less and less time and you realize the importance of each night and each game. It’s crucial to respond.”

Tavares has done his part in responding, and that’s one of the reasons he is so coveted by other teams. Yet he remains the most integral part of the Islanders franchise — for now.

“We made a change and it was reflective of the whole season,” Tavares said. “We just kept trying to build on the things we’ve done well, make some adjustments. Guys have responded pretty well to this point, but the hardest thing is to keep that going. To be able to do that consistently until the end of the season to give us the best chance to be in this race and make the playoffs. It’s hard to do, so we just have to continue.”

To do that, the Islanders will need Tavares — even if more attention comes from people outside New York.