Toronto Maple Leafs Captain John Tavares will play his 1,000th game tonight against the Washington Capitals.
Playing at the Scotiabank Arena tonight, Tavares, 32, will receive his Milestone Gift surrounded by his loved ones, beloved fans and colleagues.
Tavares, who was born in Mississauga, Ont., signed a 7-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs for $77 million in July 2018. Over a year later, the star player became the Leafs’ captain after achieving career highs of 47 goals and 88 points in his first year.
Before joining the Leafs, he played for the New York Islanders for nine seasons. In 2009, Tavares was ranked the most sought after prospect by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and International Scouting Services for the entry draft. That year, he was the first overall draft by the New York Islanders, and eventually became team captain for five years.
Tavares has also competed for Team Ontario in the U-17 Hockey Challenge in 2006, Super Series in 2007, five International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) events, including the World Championships in 2010 and 2011, and won a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics after being called to the National Olympic Hockey Team.
The Leafs will play the Capitals today at 5 p.m. EST.
