John Tavares’ Islanders timeline
John Tavares puts on his team's jersey after being picked first overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Islanders at the Bell Centre on June 26, 2009, in Montreal. Credit: Getty Images / Bruce Bennett
Sept. 20, 1990: John Tavares born in Mississauga, Ontario. He grows up a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.
June 26, 2009: Islanders select Tavares first overall in the NHL Draft at Montreal’s Bell Centre.
July 15, 2009: Tavares signs a three-year, $3.75-million entry-level deal.
Oct. 3, 2009: Tavares has a goal and an assist in his NHL debut against the Penguins. He finished with 24 goals and 30 assists in 82 games as a rookie.
Oct. 23, 2010: Tavares notches his first career hat trick.
Sept. 14, 2011: Tavares signs a six-year, $33-million extension with Islanders.
Jan. 29, 2012: Tavares plays in his first NHL All-Star Game in Ottawa.
May 1, 2013: Tavares plays in his first NHL playoff game. He finishes with three goals and two assists as Islanders lose a first-round series to Penguins in six games.
June 15, 2013: Tavares, with 38 first-place votes, finishes third in balloting for the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP behind winner Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.
Sept. 10, 2013: Tavares named Islanders captain.
Feb. 19, 2014: Tavares, playing for Team Canada in the Winter Olympics, injures his MCL and meniscus and misses the rest of the NHL season.
April 19, 2015: Tavares scores overtime winner against Capitals in Game 3 of their first-round series. The Islanders lose in seven games.
April 24, 2016: Tavares scores two goals in the deciding Game 6 of a first-round series against the Panthers — in the final minute of regulation and then the overtime winner — giving him five for the series, as the Islanders win a playoff series for the first time since 1993. The Islanders are then eliminated by the Lightning in five games.
Jan. 13, 2017: Tavares reaches 500 career points.
July 1, 2017: Tavares becomes eligible to sign a contract extension with the Islanders.
Feb. 26, 2018: Tavares, with a limited no-trade clause, asks the Islanders not to deal him away leading up to the trade deadline.
July 1, 2018: Tavares leaves Islanders for a seven-year, $77-million deal with Maple Leafs.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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