John Tavares (lacrosse)

John Tavares

Born	(1968-09-04) September 4, 1968 (age 55) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	175 pounds (79 kg)
Shoots	Left
Position	Forward
NLL team	Buffalo Bandits
CLA teams	Peterborough Lakers Brampton Excelsiors Six Nations Chiefs Victoria Shamrocks
Pro career	1992–2015
Coach	Buffalo Bandits (Assistant) (2016-2019;) Head Coach (2019-Present)
Career highlights
NLL all-time leader: games played (308), goals (815), assists (934), and points (1,749) NLL MVP (1994, 2000, 2001)
NLL Hall of Fame, 2016

John Tavares (born September 4, 1968, in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian former professional box lacrosse player and current head coach of the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) and Six Nations Chiefs of the Major Series Lacrosse League. He is the NLL's all-time leading scorer and also a mathematics teacher at Philip Pocock Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. He attended D'Youville University in Buffalo, New York.

Tavares played his entire National Lacrosse League (NLL) career with the Buffalo Bandits, starting in their inaugural season in 1992. He was acquired from the Detroit Turbos in exchange for Brian Nikula in October 1991. Tavares was also the Professional Lacrosse Players' Association representative for the Bandits.

Tavares is the NLL's all-time leader in games played (306), goals (815), assists (934), and points (1,749).^[1] His 2,191 loose balls recovered is the second most all-time.

Tavares is the uncle of John Tavares, the captain and star forward of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Tavares is currently the head coach of the MSL's Six Nations Chiefs, winning the 2023 MANN cup.

John Tavares was awarded the Order of Sport, marking his induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame on May 12, 2022.^[2]