John Tavares Siblings: Get to Know Laura and Barbara

John Tavares, a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently serves as an alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL.

Known for his exceptional skills as a forward, Tavares previously captained both the Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders, where he played for nine seasons after being drafted first overall in 2009.

Before his NHL career, Tavares excelled in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), playing for the Oshawa Generals and London Knights.

He holds the OHL record for career goals and was granted early entry into the league due to his exceptional talent.

Internationally, Tavares has represented Canada in numerous competitions, securing gold medals at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and earning the tournament’s MVP award in 2009.

Siblings

John has two sisters, an older sister named Barbara and a younger sister named Laura. His parents are Barb and Joe Tavares.

His mother, Barb, is of Polish heritage, with her parents immigrating from Poland to Sudbury, Ontario, and she even served as his agent at one point.

His father, Joe, was born in the Azores, Portugal, and moved to Toronto as a child.

Career

Drafted first overall by the New York Islanders in 2009, Tavares played there for nine seasons, captaining the team for five years.

He later served as the Maple Leafs’ captain from 2019 to 2024.

Before the NHL, Tavares dominated the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), playing for the Oshawa Generals and London Knights.

Granted exceptional player status at 14, he holds the OHL record for career goals with 215.

In 2018, Tavares signed a seven-year contract with the Maple Leafs and achieved career highs in goals and points during his first season. He reached 1,000 career points in the NHL on December 11, 2023.

He relinquished the captaincy to Auston Matthews on August 14, 2024, becoming an alternate captain.

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Tavares’ exceptional talent was recognized early, earning him early entry into the OHL.

He quickly became the face of the Islanders franchise, leading them in scoring for several seasons and demonstrating strong leadership as their captain.

In 2018, joining his hometown Maple Leafs was a highly anticipated move. Playing alongside other talented players, he continued to be a key offensive contributor.

Known for his offensive skills, especially around the net, Tavares has also been a strong leader, captaining both the Islanders and the Maple Leafs.

He has represented Canada in international tournaments, winning gold medals at the World Junior Championships, where he was named MVP in 2009.

Accolades

Tavares has earned numerous accolades throughout his hockey career, beginning with his selection to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2010.

He’s been a 6-time NHL All-Star (2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) and was named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 2015.

Early in his career, he was also recognized on the U17 WHC All-Star Team in 2006. At the international level, he was awarded the IIHF World Junior Championship MVP in 2009.

During his time in the OHL, he finished his Major Junior career with a record-setting 215 goals. He was named captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 2, 2019.

During his time with the New York Islanders, Tavares established himself as one of the team’s most productive players.

He ranks high in several franchise records, including goals (8th), assists (6th), points (5th), hat tricks (3rd), game-winning goals (4th), overtime goals (1st), and overtime points (1st).

On December 11, 2023, he reached the milestone of 1,000 NHL points, becoming the 98th player to achieve this feat.

To date, he has recorded 456 goals and 1,040 points in 1,109 regular-season games, along with 23 goals and 45 points in 62 playoff games.

It is worth noting that Tavares, the hockey player, is the nephew of John “JT” Tavares, the lacrosse player, who is the National Lacrosse League’s (NLL) all-time leader in games played, goals, assists and points.