Will he stay or will he go before trade deadline?
Nov 21, 2008 - 04:30 AM
By Shawn Cayley
Almost four years ago, John Tavares was dubbed the future of the Oshawa Generals.
That future has come and gone.
Tavares was heralded as the next big thing in junior hockey, and through his three-plus seasons in Oshawa, the 18-year-old potential first overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry draft has pretty well delivered, winning rookie of the year, the Red Tilson Trophy, garnering several all-star team and game selections, while breaking some records along the way -- with more to come, perhaps.
But now is the time his services can be utilized in a different manner, through that of a trade.
There is little doubt the future of this club would look a little brighter on Jan. 11, 2009, a day after the Ontario Hockey League trade deadline, than it does today.
Sure, outside of Tavares, the club has some nice pieces in defencemen Michael Del Zotto and Calvin de Haan, goalie Kevin Bailie and potentially forwards Brett Parnham and Kory Nagy. But after that there doesn't appear to be much else in terms of high end talent on the deck for next season.
Rumours are heating up once again around the league in regards to a potential trade involving Tavares, that would see him leave Oshawa, the only junior hockey organization he has known. While it would be nice to see him finish his career where it started and break the club's all-time goals and points records, there is little doubt a trade would fetch a handsome ransom, setting the Generals up for future success long after JT has departed the junior ranks.
Last year a bevy of blockbuster trades were made around the league that involved star players, no longer in the league, finding new homes. A couple of prime examples come in Cory Emmerton being traded from Kingston to Brampton for two players and five draft picks and Steve Mason travelling the unthinkable road, getting dealt from London to rival Kitchener for two bodies and three picks.
That deal is something Generals GM Chris DePiero ought to use as a starting point for negotiations with any team as he looks to improve the long term outlook of the Generals, potentially setting the club up for a bid to host the 2011 Memorial Cup.
Granted, there is no comparing Mason and Tavares being that one is a goalie and the other a skater. But the price paid by then Rangers GM/coach Peter DeBoer, who is now part of the Generals' ownership group, consisted of defenceman Steve Tarasuk, forward Phil Varone, two second rounders and a third. Those three picks were then dealt to Kitchener in the offseason for Nazem Kadri, another top prospect for the 2009 draft.
Wouldn't three proven players of that ilk look good plugged into next season's roster as opposed to the vacancy that would be left by a Tavares departure?
With Windsor Spitfires GM Warren Rychel already publicly stating his possible interest in a trade, and many more GMs likely to follow, let the bidding begin.
Shawn Cayley's column appears every third week. E-mail scayley@durhamregion.com
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