John Tavares is off to a quick start in the National Hockey League - which isn't a surprise to most people.

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Matt Moulson #26 and John Tavares #91 of the New York Islanders chat of the bench prior to their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Nassau Coliseum on October 3, 2009 in Uniondale, New York.

Photograph by : Getty Images

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Tavares has been ticketed for stardom since he was a 14-year-old and the last time he was in the Bell Centre was in June when the Islanders selected him as the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft.

There was a handful of doubters who noted Tavares wasn't very strong or that he wasn't a great skater.

But New York Islanders linemate Matt Moulson said he isn't surprised Tavares has been averaging nearly a point a game.

"I've trained with him for years and I've seen him work hard; I know his compete level," Moulson said. "I've been telling people that he can score 35-to-40 goals."

At this point, it should be noted that, while Tavares has four goals, the Islanders' team leader is Moulson with five and he said "a lot of people would be very surprised" if he scored 35 goals.

When Moulson was 14, a teammate's mother said he was the worst player in the Greater Toronto League.

Moulson recalled that slight in an essay for classmates at Mont Carmel High School after he was recruited to play hockey at Cornell University.

Moulson said his father always had faith in him and he worked hard after setting his sights on playing hockey at a U.S. university. But getting to the U.S. wasn't easy.

"I tried out for the B.C. Hockey League and I was cut; I tried the USHL and I was cut. I ended up with Junior B in Ontario," Moulson said.

Moulson was playing for the Guelph Scorpions when a Cornell recruiter saw him.

"I scored some goals in the first six games and Cornell scouted me for a couple of weeks," Moulson said. "One day, they called me and asked if I wanted to play for them and I said I'd get back to them. I called my father to tell him about it and he told me to call them back right away.

"They're the first team that offered me anything. I didn't know how prestigious the school was. I called them right back and said: 'I'm coming.' They said: 'We don't know if your marks will get you in or what your financial aid will be,' but I said: 'That's okay, I'm coming anyway.'

I never regretted it. "

Moulson played four seasons at Cornell, where his teammates included Canadiens blue-liner Ryan O'Byrne. When Moulson graduated, he signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings.

He spent four years in the Kings organization, collecting six goals and four assists in 29 NHL games.

When he became a free agent, the Islanders came calling, because head coach Scott Gordon remembered Moulson from his days in the American Hockey League.

"I saw him a lot when he was playing for Manchester and I liked the fact that he has a quick release on his shot," Gordon said. "Some guys take an extra step or make one more deke. He shoots the puck."

phickey@thegazette.canwest.com