Tavares looks more comfortable in second season

Toward the end of practice Monday, Islanders coach Scott Gordon took a spare moment to tease John Tavares about a mistake he had made.

The playful ribbing elicited a big grin from Tavares, who explained that Gordon was joking about a drill he flubbed moments earlier.

"It was about the forecheck,'' Tavares said. "I was supposed to lock left and I knew that, but I locked right instead - twice. We had a laugh about that.''

The gaffe may have been inconsequential, but the reaction was not.

Tavares, who celebrated his 20th birthday Monday, entered the league last season as a precocious 18-year-old who carried the enormous weight and expectations of a No. 1 draft pick like a boulder strapped to his back.

The highly touted rookie earned the respect of his teammates and coaches with his serious demeanor and will to succeed, not to mention his production - 24 goals and 30 assists. But with his teenage years and his first NHL season behind him, Tavares seems more comfortable with himself, the spotlight and his role with the team.

That unrelenting work ethic? Still there. But now, Tavares doesn't refrain from mixing in a smile and a subtle one-liner here and there.

"He is definitely more laid back this year," close friend and teammate Matt Moulson said. "He had it tough as a kid being scrutinized for everything he said and then with the pressure of being taken first overall, but I think what helped him down the stretch last year was his ability to be more laid back and joke around with the guys off the ice."

All last year, Gordon was impressed with the rookie's maturity and ability to navigate difficult stretches, but it wasn't until after the Olympic break that he saw Tavares really adapt and thrive.

"He relaxed a bit," Gordon said. "He knows what it takes to be a pro, how to train, how to manage expectations, how to adjust to the speed of the game and improve.''

Despite the comfort level he has gained, Tavares said he still experiences the nerves and excitement from his first training camp one year ago.

"I still have a lot of those same feelings,'' he said. "But this year, I just know how to handle them.''

Notes & quotes: Rick DiPietro had a previously scheduled day off. He also will be given a day of rest Thursday and Sunday.