Islanders’ forward Ryan Strome has looked up to John Tavares since he was a teenager. When Strome was 15, he started working out with Tavares at the Athlete Training Centre in their hometown of Mississauga, Ontario, and he tried to model his game after the former No. 1 overall pick. Now, the two live together.
Tavares and Strome have combined for four goals, with both of Strome’s goals assisted by Tavares. Both first-round NHL draft choices by New York, the chemistry between the two helped the Islanders finish the regular season with more than 100 points for the first time since 1983-84, and they’re on the cusp of their first playoff series win since the 1993-94 season.