Born: September 20, 1990
Where: Mississauga, Canada
Early Start
Growing up in Ontario, Canada, John Tavaras played sports like [KWLINK8919]soccer[/KWLINK], lacrosse and hockey. Though he excelled in them all, it was on the ice rink and in the lacrosse box where people started to take notice of the intensely competitive youngster.
Record Breaker
From the age of seven John played with older kids and by the time he was 14, he was granted exceptional player status and allowed to play in the Ontario Hockey League even though he was underage. By the end of his stellar Junior hockey career, John had been named CHL Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year, broken Wayne Gretzky’s record for goals as a 16 year-old with 72, and scored the most goals in OHL history with 215. The hockey world knew a special player had arrived.
Eyes on the Prize
Because of his late birthday, there was a push to have John declared eligible for the 2008 National Hockey League draft. Though he had to wait an extra year, John’s dreams finally came true in 2009 when he was selected as the first overall pick by the New York Islanders. You can expect to see big things from this future superstar as he tries to make a splash in the NHL like top draft picks Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin.
Fun Facts
Related Stories:
