The National Hockey League announced today that John Tavares and Josh Baileyhave been selected to represent the New York Islanders at the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend, taking place from January 27-28 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FLA. This marks Tavares' fifth consecutive NHL All-Star appearance and Bailey's first. It's the first time the Islanders have had two representatives at the event since the 2014-15 season, when both Tavares and goalie Jaroslav Halak were selected.
Tavares, 27, scored four goals for Team Toews during 2015 All-Star weekend in Columbus, OH, tying an NHL All-Star Game record as the sixth player ever to score four. In 2016 in Nashville, TN, Tavares won the Accuracy Shooting contest during the Skills Competition while serving as the Metropolitan Division team captain. Last year, he helped the Metropolitan Division team win the 2017 All-Star Game in Los Angeles.
The Islanders selected Tavares with the first-overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft. The Oakville, ON, native currently leads the Islanders in points (51) and is second on the team in both goals (22) and assists (29). He's averaging over a point per game (1.19) and currently is tied for sixth in the NHL in scoring. In 630 career NHL games, spanning nine seasons with the Islanders, Tavares has 588 points (257 goals, 331 assists).
Tavares won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi and was a member of the Team Canada club that won the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He was named a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2012-13 and 2014-15, given annually to the NHL's most valuable player. He also won back-to-back gold medals with Canada at the 2008 and 2009 World Junior Championships.
Bailey, 28, is making his first career NHL All-Star Weekend appearance. The first-round pick (ninth overall) in the 2008 NHL Draft leads the Islanders and is tied for second in the league in assists (38) this season. Bailey's 50 points through 42 games rank eighth in the league. Now in his 10th season with the Islanders, Bailey has totaled 356 points (118 goals and 238 assists) in 681 career games.
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