Tampa Bay center Steven Stamkos, the No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft, scored 23 goals in his rookie season. This past season, his second in the league, Stamkos scored 51 goals to tie Sidney Crosby as the NHL’s leading goal scorer.
John Tavares, who finished his rookie year with 24 goals after he was picked first overall by the Islanders in last year’s draft, said he thinks he can take a step forward like Stamkos did in his second season.
“Every situation is different, and we’re two different kinds of players, but obviously I think we’re both high-profile players coming into the NHL and we both want to keep doing well and improving,” Tavares said yesterday as the Isles packed up their lockers at the Coliseum. “If I can keep improving and keep contributing at a high level, then I think for sure that it’d be great to keep making those strides and get better every single year.”
Tavares, who led the Islanders with 54 points and finished tied for the NHL lead in goals scored among rookies, considered his rookie year a success.
“I came in as a 19-year-old and scored 24 goals and contributed on a nightly basis,” he said. “Playing all 82 games, I think that’s a successful year.”
One thing that Islanders coach Scott Gordon spoke to Tavares about in their end-of-the-season meeting yesterday was strengthening his body to be able to withstand the rigors of an 82-game season.
“Well, to be able to have strength, be a step closer to being in a man’s body versus a 19-year-old’s body is gonna be significant,” Gordon said. “He’ll be able to do more things with the puck from a puck protection standpoint, and that, in turn, is gonna allow him to make more plays.
“We talk about his compete level and his battle level and his limitations to how much you can do with that if you’re not strong. If you’re stronger, you’re gonna be more effective.”
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After winning the draft lottery last year, which allowed them to take Tavares, the Islanders hope to win it again tonight when the drawing takes place in Toronto. The Islanders, who finished with the fifth-lowest point total in the league, have an 8.1 percent chance of landing the top pick. The Oilers have the best chance at 25 percent. The drawing will be shown live on Versus at 8.