The last number one pick in the NHL entry draft for the New York Islanders has spent most of his pro career on the injured reserve. The Islanders pray that John Tavares will have better luck than Rick DiPietro.
New York has signed the top pick of the 2009 draft class to a three-year entry level contract. Tavares had 215 goals and 218 assists over four seasons in the OHL and led the league in both totals last season. The 19 year-old center is the all-time leading goal scorer in OHL history and also broke Wayne Gretzky's record for for most goals in a season with 72 goals during the 2006-2007 campaign.
Tavares will be one of many youngsters on the Islanders trying to rebuild the organization from a dreadful 2008-2009 in which it was the worst team in the NHL. Although he is projected to be a huge star for the league, the Islanders may have been hesitant to sign him to a long deal after a disastrous 15 year/$67.5 million contract given to DiPietro (the longest in NHL history) in 2006 and an even more disastrous 1o year/$87.5 million contract given to Alexei Yashin in 2001. Even after Yashin's contract was reduced by 24% due to the 2005 CBA and the Islanders bought it out in June 2007, they still have to pay him $2.2 million every year for eight years.
Hopefully for fans out on Long Island, Tavares will earn himself a nice contract after he becomes a restricted free agent in three years, and will live up to it. His numbers in the Ontario Hockey League show that he has a chance to become a franchise player, an annual All-Star, and even one of the greatest players in the world.
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