5 replies to this topic

[DropThePuck]

The 16-year-old from Oakville, Ont., was born five days too late - Sept. 20, 1990 - to be drafted next year. Players who turn 18 before Sept. 15, 2008, are eligible.
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Tavares says he wouldn't expect to immediately make an NHL team's lineup if he was drafted in 2008, but desperately wants to go to their summer and fall rookie camps and main training camp to get that experience.

He's not worried about getting stale, but about his development stalling.

"I don't think I'm going to be bored any time I'm playing hockey in my life," he said. "That's what I love to do. Obviously I want to be challenged and that's the big issue."
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Tavares's agent, Bryan Deasley, says he has spoken with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and Players' Association associate counsels Ian Penny and Stu Grimson about the possible creation of an exceptional player clause that would allow certain players to be drafted a year early.
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"That's why we would look at other options, being Europe, if we feel that and we see that his development is not progressing to the point where it should be."

Deasley says he is not currently arguing the monetary aspect of Tavares having to wait until 2009 to be drafted but acknowledged that "it's a significant consideration."

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[Duckbill]

All players should be treated the same by the rules, John Tavares is no exception no matter how good he might become.

He missed the dealine by just a few days, so what? I wasn't able to vote in 2000 because I was one week too young, but I was also able to get an unrestricted license when I was 16 because I was one month older than the deadline before the state of Iowa kicked in their graduated liscences. The deadline was set and you can miss it by one day or one hundred, you have still missed it. That's how deadlines work. I have no symptathy for him, and the idea of an "exceptional players" clause just for players like him seems especially arrogant.

[hockey2k]

"Players drafted this year will have two years of income in the NHL if they play and they'll be two years closer to free agency," he said. "At some point we have to say this is millions of dollars not attainable because of a five-day arbitrary deadline."

Here's the heart of the matter...greedy agent.

I'd say Tavares has some more work to to in Juniors, like learning to play both ends of he ice. It's great that he scores bushels of goals, but how about back checking? From accounts of the Super Series this is currently a hole in his game. And I don't think Europe is the place to learn that! Stay in the CHL son, you'll grow up soon enough.

[alexxx]

Here's the heart of the matter...greedy agent.

I'd say Tavares has some more work to to in Juniors, like learning to play both ends of he ice. It's great that he scores bushels of goals, but how about back checking? From accounts of the Super Series this is currently a hole in his game. And I don't think Europe is the place to learn that! Stay in the CHL son, you'll grow up soon enough.

So how good does he look cuz his name seems to be mentioned more than crosby's was before he broke in

[Duckbill]

So how good does he look cuz his name seems to be mentioned more than crosby's was before he broke in

Very good for us if Edmonton finishes in a position where we get that pick!

[alexxx]

Very good for us if Edmonton finishes in a position where we get that pick!

okay i meant in comparison to crosby and ovechkin and kane