Buffalo Bandits Director of Lacrosse Operations Scott Loffler today announced the team has signed All-Pro forward John Tavares to a one-year contract.
“I am extremely excited to be back for another year and looking forward to turning things around,†said Tavares. “We had an off year last season, but that will change in 2013. Banditland and the city of Buffalo deserve another championship and we are going to do everything we can to bring that to them.â€
Tavares earned a league-record 18th All-Pro nod last season by finishing second in the NLL with 41 goals, including a league-leading 21 power play goals, while ranking seventh with 80 points (41+39) in 2012. The Mississauga, ON native led the Bandits in goals, assists and points this year and has now led the team in scoring in 17 of his 21 seasons. Tavares was named captain and starter for the East in the 2012 NLL All-Star Game, which was held on Feb. 25 at First Niagara Center in Buffalo.
Tavares, the NLL’s all-time leading scorer, has recorded 1,627 points (765+862) in 268 career games played. The 43-year-old has scored 19.8% of the 3,861 goals in Bandits history and has registered a point on 42.1% of those goals. Tavares is currently on a 163-game regular season point streak, dating back to Jan. 26, 2002. He has been held without a point in a game just once in his career.
