The John Tavares Handbook

John Tavares is serious. As he prepares to make his NHL debut on Saturday night when the Islanders host Pittsburgh, the 2009 first overall pick has reminded observers of Derek Jeter in his approach. Everything is about team. Nothing is about him. Tavares is friendly and hospitable but he isn't going to post on Twitter or fill a reporter's notebook. In other words, Tavares has been a coach's dream -- which is what a 19-year-old who hasn't played a game in the NHL should be.

Without dazzling quotes from the young man himself, FanHouse spoke with several people around Tavares and the NHL to talk about the player and his highly-anticipated rookie season. We'll check in with Tavares, too.

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The Head Coach -- Scott Gordon

"When we drafted John, I broke down nine of his games from last season in the Ontario League. There was a lot of skepticism about his ability away from the offensive zone. To be honest with you, I looked and looked and didn't see a lot of evidence of that. He was very reliable. His instincts in the 'D' zone were strong.

In our preseason games so far, I've counted all of two defensive errors. One was a turnover that he recognized before we addressed it. The other was a mis-read on coverage. I'm very pleased with his all-around play.

Now that I've watched him every day for more than two weeks, the thing that jumps out at me is how hard he is to knock off the puck. I've seen some of our big guys try to move him and John just doesn't budge. His competitiveness is equaled by his ability around the net. There just aren't many players around who can do what he can in the offensive zone.

I know there will be a lot of talk about numbers for John, but for me the statistics -- especially in the first half -- are secondary. I want to see him progressing as a hockey player every week. If he does, and as a team we do our jobs, John is going to be fine."


The Agent -- Pat Brisson

"John is only focused on his NHL career. After he was drafted, I sat down with (GM) Garth Snow and later on I met with some of their PR and marketing people. Everyone is on the same page. The only thing that is important is John's development on the ice. Garth has a strong grasp of this and has been very supportive. The franchise has been outstanding to deal with.

"Never mind 19-year-olds; I don't see many 30-year-olds with the skills John has. As his career continues, his development is going to come down to his will to be the best player night in and night out. ... This is something I know John understands." -- Martin Biron Of course, there are going to be opportunities for John. He has endorsement deals with CCM and Reebok. I know the Islanders were working on a merchandising deal where fans could take their tickets from opening night and the team will insert the ticket into different kinds of collectible collages based around John's NHL debut. All of that stuff is nice. Nothing wrong with that.

John has taken part in some media training with a company I work with at CAA called Game On. John had a session in Los Angeles and another one with (Colorado third overall pick) Matt Duchene. The training is about spreading the right messages and being comfortable. From everything I've seen so far, John has done well with the press demands. He understands the importance of the coverage.

The way I approach it, my job is not just about negotiating contracts. It's on me to have John in a position where he is able to perform at his best. By working with the Islanders, I believe we have done that so far and I'm excited to see John get started in the NHL."


The Cagey Teammate -- Martin Biron

"I was watching John on the power play at practice today and noticed his stance along the half-wall. He had his head up and stick rockered on the ice. The way he was positioned reminded me of Alexei Kovalev. I said to a few of the guys, 'Hey, doesn't he kind of look like Kovy on the power play?' Ah, maybe it's just me.

What you want to see from John is a progression. His goals will come. There isn't even any question about that. The key for him is starting at a level and then by the end of the season playing at a much higher level. From what I see of his work ethic and commitment at practice, he's going to get better and better.

I have to tell you, I didn't know Tavares at all when we first got to training camp in Saskatoon. But I've spent a lot of time around him the last few weeks, and he's just a tremendous guy. Not just as his teammate and friend but as a hockey fan, I'm excited to watch him this season.

Early on, John is going to stand out because of his talent. Never mind 19-year-olds; I don't see many 30-year-olds with the skills John has. As his career continues, his development is going to come down to his will to be the best player night in and night out. Look at Crosby and Ovechkin. They are unbelievable talents, but what separates them and Malkin from the pack is their heart and soul. This is something I know John understands."


The Goal Scoring Legend-in-Residence -- Mike Bossy

"John possesses three elements that will help him to succeed in the National Hockey League: vision, talent and desire.

When you're forecasting a hockey season, there are so many unknowns. The biggest, of course, is injuries. You hope John stays healthy, and you hope the players Scott Gordon has planned to be on his line or with him on the power play stay healthy because you want that continuity.

I believe John has too much talent to not score at least 25 goals in his rookie season."


The Stanley Cup-winning Analyst -- Peter Laviolette

"I would think 15-20 goals would be a reasonable amount for a first-year player like Tavares, who's known as a goal-scorer. If you want an exact number, put me down for 18 goals.

It's difficult for young players to come in and play against men and experience the same success they did in junior or college. Eric Staal scored 11 goals his first year in the NHL in 81 games. In the AHL during the lockout, Eric's numbers increased and his confidence started to grow. It was in his third year of pro that he blossomed in the NHL with 45 goals and 100 points. He learned about the league and how to compete and be successful. He became stronger physically and played a more important role because of his experience. He went from fourth-line minutes to first-line minutes with power play.

Growth and maturity bring success. It is more difficult, although not impossible to be a goal-scoring impact player as a rookie. John will score a lot of goals in this league and maybe he does it this year, but history says there will be a learning curve."


The Celebrity Friend and Fan -- Kevin ("E") Connolly of Entourage

"When John came to Los Angeles over the summer, we went out to lunch. I'm friends with his agent, and he set it up. John's an impressive young guy. I was raised on Long Island so I was telling him stuff like, 'You should really check out this place,' but I had to remind myself the guy is only 19 during training camp. He can't get into some of the places I suggested.

You can tell he's mature, ready to handle whatever's ahead. He's already been a big deal in Canada. He's prepared for stardom. I'm really excited about him being on our team for a long time. I'm coming back to the Island for his NHL debut on Saturday."


The Press Box Predictions

Pierre McGuire, TSN, NBC and SI: "John's going to do very well in his rookie season. I have no doubt about it at all. He will score more than 20 goals."

Billy Jaffe, Islanders and VERSUS color commentator: "Twenty-four goals is my number for John Tavares. I'm very impressed by his work ethic and his dedication to improve at this level. Inside the blueline, he is phenomenal."

Greg Wyshynski, Puck Daddy editor: "I'm not convinced yet that Tavares will be one of those rookies that makes an immediate impact without a solid push from his linemates, a.k.a. someone who 'makes his linemates better.' So Tavares's success will be predicated on the play of guys like Sean Bergenheim and (my fantasy team-willing) Kyle Okposo. Point prediction? Based on past No. 1s, less than Sidney (102) but more than Patrick Kane (72). I'd say in the 80-point range."

Jim "Boomer" Gordon, NHL Home Ice mid-day host: "The forecast is gloomy. I have always felt that Tavares was overrated in junior, and I believe he will struggle in his first season on the Island. Steven Stamkos had around 23 goals and 46 points in his first season and I think Tavares will struggle to match that target. Seventeen goals and 36 points is my uneducated guess."


The Young Man of the Hour -- John Tavares

"My season is going to be judged by how much team success we have. That's all that matters. There are a lot of areas of my game that I have to work on if I'm going to be effective at the NHL level. I'm going to need guidance from the coaches and leadership from my teammates. We will grow together.

The coaches have been great to work with, giving me extra time and instruction on the ice and breaking down video with me. We look at the positives and the negatives. This is a new system for me. Most of the guys know it from last year. I'm getting there, but I'm sure there will be some bumps along the way. The key for me will be putting any slumps or frustrating times behind me. I know there will be tough stretches, so I'm prepared to deal with them and focus on doing my best in the next game.

I understand people are going to make predictions. That's one of the fun things about sports. I'm a sports fan, too. It's just not my place to make one about myself. The truth is, I've never set personal goals for points or anything like that. If you do, you're setting limits."