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Islanders' Tavares To Join Streit On Swiss Club During NHL Lockout

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Swiss hockey club Bern says it has signed Islanders center John Tavares during the NHL lockout.

Tavares will join Islanders captain Mark Streit, arguably Switzerland's best export to the NHL, at the club. Bern said the 22-year-old Canadian will arrive in Switzerland Tuesday and start training the next day.

Tavares was the first pick of the 2009 NHL draft and earned his first All-Star Game selection last season, in which he earned 81 points in 82 games.

Bern, one of the best supported teams in Europe, said it got financial backing from a benefactor to help pay for Tavares' contract.

On Thursday, the NHL announced it had canceled the remainder of the 2012 preseason schedule due to the ongoing labor issue.

Do you have any issue with players skating in Europe during the lockout? Let us know in the comments...

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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