TAVARES NIKE TEAM CANADA IIHF 2009 3RD HOCKEY JERSEY

Hockey inspires such fervour that it has often been compared to a religion. The arenas are its temples, and the star players its high priests. The riot that broke out in the Montreal Forum on March 17, 1955 when Maurice Richard was suspended is perhaps the most striking example of the attachment of Canadiens fans and supporters to their idol and hero … the hockey player.

In the summer of 2005, Tavares became the first player ever to be granted "exceptional player"status by the OHL, which allowed him to be drafted at the age of 14, several months before his 15th birthday. The usual minimum age to be included in the OHL Priority Selection is 16 years old by December 31. Consequently, Tavares is the youngest player to ever be drafted in the OHL, although Bobby Orr was signed and had played at a younger age. This exceptional player rule was adopted by all of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as part of the implementation of Hockey Canada's new development model. Eligible for the OHL draft two years in advance, the Oshawa Generals selected Tavares first overall in the 2005 OHL Priority Selection. As a result, he was presented the Jack Ferguson Award, which is awarded annually to the player picked first overall in the OHL Priority Selection. Tavares then played his first OHL game on September 23, 2005, just three days after his 15th birthday. He scored in his debut, but the Generals were defeated by the Kingston Frontenacs at the Kingston Memorial Centre.Tavares had a quick start in the OHL, scoring 5 goals in his first 4 games and finished with 77 points total, including 45 goals. Tavares was named the CHL Rookie of the Year and the OHL Rookie of the Year for the 2005–06 season. The following season, in 2006–07, Tavares was selected to represent the OHL for two games in January for the annual ADT Canada-Russia Challenge, including one game in Oshawa. Later that month, on January 25, 2007, Tavares registered a 7-point night in a 9-6 win versus the Windsor Spitfires. He scored four goals and three assists, including his 50th goal of the season in his 44th game. Towards the end of the season, on March 16, 2007, Tavares broke a mark previously held by Wayne Gretzky for most goals by a sixteen-year-old in the OHL with his 70th and 71st goals of the season. At the end of his second junior season, he was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the most outstanding player in the league and named the CHL Player of the Year. In 2007–08, Tavares' goal production dipped significantly to 40. However, he still managed a 118-point season, third overall in the OHL.Due to Tavares's performance in his first two OHL seasons and his 'goal-scorer' style of play, he has already drawn comparisons to hockey legends such as Mike Bossy.Tavares was traded to the London Knights along with New York Rangers prospect and teammate Michael Del Zotto on January 8, 2009, just three days after being named MVP of the 2009 World Junior Championships. Although the Knights' first game after the trade was played against Tavares' former team, the Oshawa Generals, he did not play and made his debut on January 11 against the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors. Making his return to Oshawa at the 2009 CHL Top Prospects Game as captain of Team Orr, he recorded an assist in a 6–1 win over Team Cherry, but injured his shoulder after Zack Kassian of the Peterborough Petes checked him behind the net.