Tavares Reaches 1,000 Career Points in Loss Against the Islanders
John Munson / AP
For Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares, a game against the New York Islanders is always a spectacle. Despite a 4-3 overtime loss to his former squad on Monday, Tavares had a personal victory. With an assist on Morgan Rielly’s game-tying goal in the last seven seconds of the game, the center became the 98th player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career points.
With his father in the building, Tavares joined an elite list of now ten active players to have reached the milestone. Claude Giroux, Joe Pavelski, Nicklas Backstrom, Steven Stamkos, Anze Kopitar, Patrick Kane, Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are his fellow 1,000-club members that are still playing.
In 1,054 games played, the Maple Leaf has racked up 435 goals and 566 assists for 1,001 total points. He is a six-time NHL All-Star and has captained both the Islanders and his current team in his 15-year career so far. Although the Stanley Cup is not currently on his list of achievements, the Maple Leafs appear to be a favorite for the trophy for years to come.
Tavares and the rest of his squad can next be seen on Thursday Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. EST / 6 p.m. CST against the Columbus Blue Jackets in their quest for the first Stanley Cup in franchise history since 1967.
