At some point, probably in late October or early November, John Tavares will score his 500th career goal. He’s at 494. If and when he gets there, he’ll be the 49th player in the history of the NHL to do so.

And even his Maple Leafs teammates, who have come to expect his point-a-game production, will marvel at what the top pick in the 2009 draft has accomplished.

“John leads with his actions,” said forward Max Domi . “That’s the key. He’s not a big rah-rah guy. That’s just not his personality. You see how he prepares every single day. You see what he does after practice, after games, and how he takes care of his body.

“There’s a reason why he’s still so successful after playing over 1,000 games. That doesn’t happen by accident.”

Tavares is entering his eighth season as Maple Lea

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