The big-city boy returned home on Monday night. John Tavares, first-overall pick and first-line center of the New York Islanders led his team into Toronto for a game against the Maple Leafs – the same team that did “all they could” to acquire Tavares’ services after little John grew up in the Toronto suburbs admiring the Blue Buds. There was a massive media swarm focusing more on the return of the NHL star than the game itself; which is all that can be expected from these two sorry teams.

Tavares had 215 goals and 433 points in 247 career games in the OHL, spent mostly in an Oshawa Generals uniform before being traded to the London Knights for half a season. Since being drafted first overall by the Islanders, Tavares has played like a true number one. He is tied for the team lead in points with 19, and leads all rookies in the NHL in the same category. He also has nine goals, four coming on the power play, also leading the Islanders.

Dwayne Roloson was the show-stopper – and puck stopper. Roloson faced 61 shots, turning away 58 of them in the overtime victory, improving his record to 7-2-5. Even still, all eyes were on Tavares, whose return to Toronto was uneventful; at least on the ice. He was plus-one with a single shot on net, and played for 17:42. It was almost as if Tavares was taking it easy on his former-favorite team. He certainly wasn’t playing like the offensively-charged, high-scoring forward that the NHL is quickly becoming used to.

Tavares is just a third of a season into a three-year, entry level contract with the Islanders, so it’s far too early to seriously consider where he may be playing once the contract is over. Even though Tavares jokes in interviews that the Leafs are no longer his favorite team, his dream of playing for the Big Blue Machine may not be far off. Tavares appeared to be doing all he could to help the Leafs in Monday’s game. Soon enough, he may have the chance to do that on a nightly basis.