Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Tavares ya kasance mai da hankali ga ƙoƙarin da ba a yi nasara ba don canza dokokin da aka tsara na NHL don ba shi damar shiga cikin
2008 Entry Draft, kazalika da ƙoƙari don ba shi damar yin wasa a cikin American Hockey League (AHL) a matsayin ɗan shekara 17 a 2007. Tavares an sanya shi a matsayin babban hangen nesa don Tsarin 2009 ta duka NHL Central Scouting Bureau da International Scouting Services.