Tavares is eager to be an Islander

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- John Tavares says his goal as a New York Islander is to bring a winning tradition back to Long Island -- "to compete for Stanley Cups and win Stanley Cups."

The Islanders are banking on him to be a big part -- perhaps the biggest part -- in reviving a franchise that hasn't won a playoff series in 15 years.

Tavares, 18, the No. 1 pick of the 2009 Entry Draft, was introduced to Long Island on Wednesday during a news conference at the Nassau Coliseum that was open to Isles fans as well as the media.

When he takes the ice in the fall, Tavares will be the subject of great expectations. But both he and the Islanders are doing their best to keep a lid on how much he'll be expected to contribute in his first season.

"I don't think I'm looking to be the savior. I'm just one player of many, part of a team and an organization to bring a winning tradition back here," he said. "I know it's been a long time since the city and the team have had that. I'm looking forward to working with a young group of guys to grow and contribute in a big way."

After finishing last in the standings in 2008-09, the Islanders will need everything Tavares can contribute even to contend for a playoff spot. They scored only 198 non-shootout goals, 29th overall -- a shortcoming the greatest goal-scorer in the history of the Ontario Hockey League will be expected to remedy.

"He has the God-given gift to score goals," Islanders coach Scott Gordon said. "There's no question, one area we lacked last season was goal-scoring. In watching John's games, there's no question that from the circle on down, his ability to score goals is something we're going to welcome."

Tavares figures to be the cornerstone of a rebuilding effort that also includes center Josh Bailey, the Isles' first-round pick last year, and winger Kyle Okposo, their top choice in 2006.

Okposo took major strides this past season, leading the team with 18 goals and playing well enough to earn an invitation to the U.S. Olympic Team camp. Bailey played well enough to make the team out of training camp and showed flashes of the skill that led the Isles to choose him with the No. 9 pick in the '08 draft.

Still, it was Tavares that the 500 or so fans turned out to see on a warm summer day on Long Island. As the news conference was getting under way, one yelled "You're going to like it here on Long Island."

Whether Tavares still feels that way when the Islanders struggle -- as all young teams do -- remains another question.

With a slew of young forwards in the lineup, a not-very-physical defense corps and the health issues surrounding starting goaltender Rick DiPietro, Tavares could be spending a lot of his rookie season learning the hard way.

But to hear him talk, he's already prepared for the inevitable growing pains.

"Obviously, we're in a rebuilding phase," he told the fans, many of whom were new season-ticket holders who lined up for autographs afterward. "We're going to have some growing pains and tough seasons.

"There will be tough times, but there will also be some good times. I'm exited about the opportunity, and I can't wait to get started."

That's why Gordon and General Manager Garth Snow were doing their best to dampen expectations for Tavares' first NHL season. After all, even Sidney Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins finished last in the East and 29th in the League in his first season. Three years later, Crosby and those same Penguins were skating around with the Stanley Cup.

Snow said one concern was making sure Tavares doesn't feel the need to try to take on too much responsibility in his first season.

"We'll have plenty of veterans (and) leaders to surround him and help guide him through those murky waters, whether it's on-the-ice or off-the-ice adjustments that he needs to make," Snow said. "We feel we have enough support around John and all our young players where if they have an issue, whether it's on the ice or off ice the ice, they can seek out one of us. We've all been through it."

And while he had no pretenses about being a savior, Tavares -- who was allowed to play in the OHL at age 14 -- didn't sound worried about dealing with being the great hope of a fan base that's starved for a winner.

"I've learned to deal with (expectations) since I was 14 years old and I was allowed to play in the Ontario Hockey League," he said. "Whatever expectations are put on me, I can't really control. I'm most comfortable when I'm out there on the ice playing and contributing the best I can.

"I really don't want to set limits. I want to be here night in and night out, being able to contribute every night."

That would be just fine with Snow, who acknowledges that his prize rookie is a goal-scorer, but said he's "equally talented at making the players around him better." And while lauding Tavares' ability to put the puck in the net, Gordon was excited by his other skills.

"I'm impressed with his ability away from the puck and in the faceoff circle," he said. "He's a complete player."

As much as anything, that's what Tavares said he aspires to be -- that, and a Stanley Cup winner.

"Obviously, my best assets are what I do offensively," he said. "Over the past couple of seasons, I've really been relied on, especially with the national team and Team Canada, on both sides of the puck -- faceoff situations, playing penalty kills, becoming a complete player and taking a leadership role.

"Those are things I'll have to learn, and I'm sure there will times during the season, on and off the ice, with things I'll have to learn and go through that I haven't experienced before. But obviously I want to be able to contribute offensively and be a key contributor every day -- not just some nights, but I want to contribute every single night."