Islanders' Tavares suits up in 500th game

Time flies.

John Tavares, only 25 years old, suits up in his 500th NHL game on Monday night, all having come with the New York Islanders, the club that drafted him first overall in 2009.

With 457 points to his name, Tavares is most impressed that he's been able to reach the milestone so soon.

"I take a lot of pride in being able to be healthy," Tavares told NHL.com's Cory Wright. "It didn't take a lot of time to get to 500. One knee injury that kept me out a significant amount of time. Other than that, I've been able to take care of myself and be ready to play each and every night. That's something I've put a lot of work into."

Tavares' numbers are slightly down this season, after better than point-per-game campaigns in 2013-14 (when he missed 23 games) and 2014-15. But his effort hasn't wavered, and it's his drive that's always set him apart. Tavares isn't flash. He's a very skilled player, but he works harder than most with his talent.

"He's just more vocal," head coach Jack Capuano said about Tavares' growth as a player and a person. "He always leads by example on and off the ice with his work ethic. He's quiet that way, but people understand the way he works and how he carries himself. He's become more vocal and he's not afraid. That comes with maturity too. He's learned a lot. Doug (Weight) was only here for a year, but Mark Streit was a pretty good captain, so you learn from those guys."

Tavares came into the league as an 18-year-old, straight out of junior, scoring 24 goals in his rookie season. He was named the Islanders' 14th captain in franchise history in September 2013. He's only played in 13 playoff games, and has yet to win a round, and his goal over the next 500 games is to change that.

"It's something you're proud of," Tavares said of the milestone. "It means you're getting older, but still hopefully a long way to go and I want to build on the first 500."

He should get a chance this spring, as the Islanders, currently on a three-game losing streak, are in playoff position, holding down the first wild-card spot in the East heading into play Monday night.