Tavares scored his 500th during the third period on Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, tying NHL Hall of Famer Lanny McDonald for the 48th most all-time.
He'll need just three more to surpass fellow Hall of Famer Joe Mullen.
Toronto was down 6-1 before Tavares put one home with under five minutes left in the game, bringing his season total up to six, paired with eight assists (14 points).
The Maple Leafs would go on to lose the game 6-3, falling to 5-5-1 on the season, while the Blue Jackets improved to 6-4-0.
The 35-year-old veteran and Ontario native is currently in his 17th season, his eighth with the Maple Leafs.
He's coming off a 2024-2025 season where he posted 38 goals and 36 assists in 75 games - the most goals he's scored in a season since his first season with the Maple Leafs (2018-2019) when he put up 47 and tied the second-most of his career.
Tavares signed a four-year, $17.52 million contract extension with the Maple Leafs this offseason that runs through the 2028-2029 season.
The future Hall of Famer originally got his career started with the New York Islanders after the team drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft.
Tavares would make the All-Rookie team that same year after posting 24 goals and 30 assists in all 82 games at the age of 19. He would go on to play nine years for the Islanders, scoring 272 goals and racking up 349 assists in 669 games before joining the Maple Leafs.
Tavares now has 500 career goals and 628 assists in 1,195 games as of October 29, 2025.