52 Facts About John Tavares

John Tavares was selected first overall by the New York Islanders in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, where he spent nine seasons and served as captain for five seasons.

Previously, John Tavares competed at the major junior level as a member of the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League before being traded to the London Knights at the 2009 OHL trading deadline along with Michael Del Zotto.

John Tavares broke into the OHL after gaining "exceptional player" status at age 14, allowing the Generals to select him in the OHL Priority Draft as an underage player in 2005.

John Tavares was named the Canadian Hockey League Rookie of the Year in 2006 and CHL Player of the Year in 2007.

John Tavares was the focus of an unsuccessful push to have the NHL's draft rules changed to allow him to participate in the 2008 Entry Draft, as well as an attempt to allow him to play in the American Hockey League as a 17-year-old in 2007.

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John Tavares was ranked as the top prospect for the 2009 Draft by both the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and International Scouting Services.

John Tavares has represented Canada at five International Ice Hockey Federation -sanctioned events, including the 2010 and 2011 World Championships.

John Tavares was named the most valuable player of the 2009 tournament after scoring eight goals and 15 points in six games.

John Tavares participated in the 2006 IIHF World U18 Championships, but failed to medal.

Additionally, John Tavares represented Team Ontario at the 2006 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and 2007 Super Series.

John Tavares played soccer and lacrosse, and his highly competitive nature often led him to fight with other players.

Tavares excelled at lacrosse, following in the footsteps of his uncle John Tavares, the all-time scoring leader in the National Lacrosse League, and was a ball boy for his uncle's NLL team, the Buffalo Bandits.

In Oakville, John Tavares attended St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School.

John Tavares lived five minutes from Sam Gagner, who later signed a contract with the Edmonton Oilers, and the two quickly established a friendship.

John Tavares spends some of his time working with the Special Olympics.

John Tavares showed such promise as a hockey player that when he was seven, his parents moved him up one age group and he began playing with older children.

John Tavares eventually moved to the Toronto Marlboros of the GTHL.

John Tavares scored one goal in the game and was named the tournament's top forward.

The following season, John Tavares joined the Marlboros' minor midget team, where he recorded 91 goals and 158 points in 72 games.

John Tavares petitioned to gain eligibility to play major junior in the Ontario Hockey League in the spring of 2005.

Consequently, John Tavares is the youngest player to ever be drafted in the OHL, although Bobby Orr was signed and had played at a younger age.

Oshawa Generals held the first pick in the 2005 draft, and they selected John Tavares, earning him the Jack Ferguson Award, which is given to the player picked first overall in the OHL Priority Selection.

John Tavares was named to the OHL's all-rookie team, and won both the Emms Family Award and CHL Rookie of the Year awards as the top first-year player in both the OHL and CHL respectively.

John Tavares scored four goals and three assists, including his 50th goal of the season in his 44th game.

John Tavares was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the most outstanding player in the league, and named the CHL Player of the Year.

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John Tavares led the OHL in scoring until he missed several games to represent the Canada men's national junior ice hockey team at the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

The attempt was unsuccessful and John Tavares was required to wait until 2009 to participate in the NHL Entry Draft.

The 2009 draft class was led by John Tavares, who was selected first overall by the New York Islanders.

John Tavares led NHL rookies in scoring throughout much of his first season.

John Tavares helped the Islanders reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2007, scoring 47 points in 48 games.

John Tavares scored his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal against Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 3 of the 2013 playoffs.

At the time of his injury, John Tavares ranked third in the NHL with 66 points in 59 games.

Additionally, John Tavares was named a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy for the second time in his career; ultimately ceding the award to Carey Price.

John Tavares finished the job by scoring the series-clinching goal in double overtime, winning a playoff series for the Islanders for the first time since 1993.

Just before 1 pm, almost one hour into the free agency period, it became public knowledge that John Tavares had informed the Islanders he would be leaving the team and signing with Toronto.

John Tavares cited "Toronto's chances as a Stanley Cup contender, as well as living out his childhood dream to play for his hometown team", as his reason for signing the contract.

Many argued John Tavares abandoned the team that drafted him after coming to the conclusion he could not win with them, and decided to leave after telling GM Garth Snow he did not want to be traded at the 2018 trade deadline, implying he would re-sign with the Islanders after the season concluded.

John Tavares was relentlessly booed and heckled by Islanders fans throughout the match, including during his tribute video, and items were thrown at John Tavares on the ice.

Ultimately, John Tavares was stretchered off the ice and was transported to the hospital.

John Tavares earned another invite to the selection camp for the 2008 World Junior Championships and made the final roster for the tournament on his second attempt.

John Tavares scored four goals to help Canada to its fourth-straight gold medal in the competition.

John Tavares was named Player of the game for the second time in the tournament for his performance on the night.

John Tavares finished the tournament with eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in six games, second only to teammate Cody Hodgson in tournament scoring.

John Tavares was named one of the top three players on the Canadian team by its coaching staff, as well as a tournament All-Star, Top Forward and MVP.

John Tavares improved to nine points over seven games with five goals and four assists to lead Canada in scoring; he ranked fifth among all tournament players for the second consecutive year.

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John Tavares was chosen by coaches as one of the three best players on Team Canada, along with defenceman Alex Pietrangelo and forward Andrew Ladd.

John Tavares played for Team Canada at the 2012 Spengler Cup, which the nation ultimately won after defeating HC Davos in the final.

On 26 April 2019, it was announced that John Tavares had committed to play for Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship in Slovakia.

However, shortly before the first game of the tournament, it was announced on 9 May 2019 that John Tavares had suffered an oblique injury and would be returning to Toronto.

John Tavares has been praised by his coaches for his ability to anticipate the play since he joined the OHL.

Media hype he has encountered has led John Tavares to remain guarded when speaking to the media, while his teammates and family attempt to shield him from the spotlight where they can.

However, John Tavares is regarded as a natural leader on the ice, and a player who puts his team first.