NEW YORK (AP) — Dynamic center John Tavares is the new captain of the New York Islanders.
Tavares, who turns 23 this month, is the 14th captain in team history. He succeeds defenseman Mark Streit, who left as a free agent to join the Philadelphia Flyers.
Tavares has led the Islanders in scoring in each of his first four NHL seasons. He had 28 goals — third most in the league — and 47 points while playing in all 48 games last season.
He was a finalist for the Hart Trophy, given to the NHL MVP. In his playoff debut, he had a team-high five points, including three goals, in New York’s six-game loss to Pittsburgh.
Tavares was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NHL draft. He has represented Canada at four of the last five world championships.
