Maple Leafs Make Strange Move
Jesse Marshall | Juniors
Oct 25, 11:45 AM | Hype this story!
Toronto Maple Leafs GM John Ferguson has offered OHL phenom John Tavares a contract to play with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL.
Tavares, born September 20, 1990, is short of 2008 draft eligibility by just days. Toronto is moving to circumvent the entire process by signing him to a three year deal in the AHL.
This deal will give Toronto obvious exclusivity regarding the rights to Tavares. Tavares could opt out of a contract with the team that drafts him, which would render him a free-agent in 2011, and could force the team that drafts him to deal his rights to Toronto. Essentially, the entire process relies on whether or not Tavares would want to play for the Maple Leafs, which remains to be seen.
According to media sources, Toronto would pay Tavares more than the 3 Million allotted under the new NHL collective bargaining agreement to rookies.
There has been no word from either the Tavares camp or the NHL regarding this situation.
Stay tuned to Faceoff-Factor for more information regarding this story.
John Tavares 2006/07 OHL Statistics: 67GP – 72G – 62A – 134PTS
2007/08 – 12GP – 15G – 13A – 18PTS
Comments
Bryan
Oct 25, 12:08 PM
Can they do that? If so doesn’t that set a dangerous precident? Why should the NHL even have a draft?
Jesse Marshall
Oct 25, 01:01 PM
Bryan, exactly. This could be bad. And I doubt the NHL wants any kind of a Maurice Clarette-esque situation.
ryan boyle
Oct 26, 11:07 AM
even as a toronto fan i hate to see this, all this hype and money getting thrown around this kid in the most stressful hockey market, if he becomes anything less than a superstar he’ll be a bust.
i guess thats the kind of moves you have to make when you trade away all your picks for toskala…. : /
Matt Bodenschatz
Oct 26, 11:54 AM
That is a tough situation, Ryan. Toronto is trying to improve, but at the same time, putting unneeded pressure on one player is the wrong way.
Brandon Dunn
Nov 1, 11:11 AM
This could turn into what Major League Baseball has done with international players. No draft, just the best talent going to the highest bidder. The arrogance and audacity on the Maple Leafs part here should come as a surprise to nobody. The only thing surprisng is that The Rangers, Flyers, or Kevin Lowe Hadn’t thought of this first! The NHL/Gary Bettman need to nip this in the bud immediately if this is true.
Commenting is closed for this article.