Tavares Steps Off the Ice and Into Bellmore

The future is looking bright for the New York Islanders.

The face of that future, 19-year-old John Tavares, stepped out of his skates to meet fans and sign autographs on Saturday at Sports Cards Trading Post LLC on Bellmore Avenue.

"It's great, especially during the summer time," Tavares said. "We keep them in tune and get them excited for the upcoming season."

Fans lined up with jerseys, pucks, photos and more to be signed by the Islanders' center. Traditional 8" X 10" photos cost $50 to be signed, larger photos cost $65, and equipment and jerseys ran an $85 price tag.

"It's not often that you get to meet a star in the making," one fan who wished not to be identified said. "This is a great opportunity for the fans."

Tavares is coming off a nice rookie season, in which he scored 24 goals and tallied 54 points, and he is excited about the direction of the team.

"I know we're young, but we are gaining valuable experience," Tavares said. "We believe in ourselves and that we can make a push to the playoffs."

The Islanders also added another big piece at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles when they took Nino Niederreiter with the fifth overall pick. A lot of people expected the Islanders to go with Cam Fowler, but Tavares is happy with the direction that they went in.

"I think he's going to add some size and nastiness," Tavares said. "Obviously, he's going to be a great talent, and we are happy to have him."

Tavares, originally from Toronto, knows it's different in Long Island, but he has embraced the change.

"I think the best thing is the food," Tavares said. "The food is out of this world."

Sports Cards Trading Post LLC specialized in all different kinds of sports memorabilia and Co-Owner Craig Thomas knows it's all about the customers.

"It's exciting," Thomas said. "Hopefully, it brings a lot of business to the store."