Leafs want Tavares, trying to bypass draft rules

[Looogie]

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NHL/article/270412

whoa, JFJ with a smart move?

[marciokop]

yes sign JT

[Griff83]

Wont happen

[Tor-Rap-Tor]

Wow just read it, unbelievable! He is in my estimation the best rookie out there and in this draft, if he was eligible...

JFJ will get an extension for another 3 years... hmmm...

[Crowned]

lol, extremely unlikely.

[Andrea>Dirk]

I wish..
but still nice to see he's semi thinking about the future.

[MAS]

I dunno.... He wants to play in the NHL as soon as possible... but I also know he's a Leaf fan when I met him at the OHL awards ceremonies at the Hall.

It wouldn't be the first time a 17 year old played in the AHL also, Samsonov and Bonk did the same thing.

Basically this is how I understand it. The Leafs sign him to a 3 year deal with the Marlies. Tavares can then choose to declare for the draft when it's his time OR he can choose not to and play for the Leaf through those 3 years. At the end of that 3 year period (assuming he chooses not to declare), Tavares would become a UFA and sign where he wants, which I'm sure the Leafs would plan for cap wise.

Most likely the deal with the Marlies would be for MORE money than the 1st overall pick would get, which doesn't count against our cap.

[NeverGoingToWin]

The commissioner of the AHL said that they have the same rules as the NHL and you have to be 18 by Sept 15 to play in the AHL.

[The-Insider]

Knowing the guy from Dale Mitchell, the kid wants to play here. They even have their own facebook group. The two played in Oshawa and are great friends. I'll see if I could find more information on this. At least JFJ is trying.. can't fault him on that. He's the only GM that took a stab at this. I didn't think JFJ had this type of creativity in him to be honest.

He signs with the Marlies, gets drafted in 2009 by a different NHL team, refuses to sign with that team, then the team who drafts him, either trades his rights to the Leafs or Taveras just waits until 2011 and then signs with the Leafs? It seems to me that the only catch would be Tavares would have to play in the AHL until he is 21. I dont think an up-and-coming superstar llike himself would agree to that stipulation. Or the team that drafts him trades his rights to the Leafs. What his value would be like in such a scenario, I have no idea. But w/e the Leafs give up, shouldn't be a concern.

[NeverGoingToWin]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2007/10/ ... res_leafs/

The Toronto Maple Leafs needn't bother even approaching 17-year-old phenom John Tavares about signing an AHL contract.

"The fact is, he would not be eligible to play in the American Hockey League next year," AHL president Dave Andrews told The Canadian Press on Thursday. "Our bylaws require that a player be 18 as of Sept. 15 of the season in question for the player to be eligible. He doesn't fit those criteria."

[MAS]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2007/10/25/tavares_leafs/

The Toronto Maple Leafs needn't bother even approaching 17-year-old phenom John Tavares about signing an AHL contract.

"The fact is, he would not be eligible to play in the American Hockey League next year," AHL president Dave Andrews told The Canadian Press on Thursday. "Our bylaws require that a player be 18 as of Sept. 15 of the season in question for the player to be eligible. He doesn't fit those criteria."

That can be easily won in court, like i said Bonk and Samsonov have played in the AHL at the age of 17. Besides, the whole legality of not allowing a player to work in his profession is a question there for the AHL. Not so much the NHL cause it hasn't been done before, but presidence is in Tavares' favour

[MAS]

Knowing the guy from Dale Mitchell, the kid wants to play here. They even have their own facebook group. The two played in Oshawa and are great friends. I'll see if I could find more information on this. At least JFJ is trying.. can't fault him on that. He's the only GM that took a stab at this. I didn't think JFJ had this type of creativity in him to be honest.

He signs with the Marlies, gets drafted in 2009 by a different NHL team, refuses to sign with that team, then the team who drafts him, either trades his rights to the Leafs or Taveras just waits until 2011 and then signs with the Leafs? It seems to me that the only catch would be Tavares would have to play in the AHL until he is 21. I dont think an up-and-coming superstar llike himself would agree to that stipulation. Or the team that drafts him trades his rights to the Leafs. What his value would be like in such a scenario, I have no idea. But w/e the Leafs give up, shouldn't be a concern.

Well that has it's advantages... he will be getting a salary with the Marlies that would be greater than what he would as a #1 pick, so he doesn't even have to declare for the draft if he doesn't want to cause if he does and gets selected, the money he'd be getting from that team would be less. Also, if he goes to the drafted team, he will not be an unrestricted FA until he's 25, meaning he won't necessarily get paid all he's worth until then. At 21, he'd be the most marketable player on the market. The Leafs, have Kubina, McCabe, Kaberle, Blake, etc off the books at this point and would be able to sign him to a massive contract while staying under the cap

[The-Insider]

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Well that has it's advantages... he will be getting a salary with the Marlies that would be greater than what he would as a #1 pick, so he doesn't even have to declare for the draft if he doesn't want to cause if he does and gets selected, the money he'd be getting from that team would be less. Also, if he goes to the drafted team, he will not be an unrestricted FA until he's 25, meaning he won't necessarily get paid all he's worth until then. At 21, he'd be the most marketable player on the market. The Leafs, have Kubina, McCabe, Kaberle, Blake, etc off the books at this point and would be able to sign him to a massive contract while staying under the cap

Play a marquee role for an NHL club or make a few million extra to play for the Marlies? Sure the money is an advantage, but wherever he goes, he's going to get paid. There are lots of ifs and buts to the story.

[MAS]

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Play a marquee role for an NHL club or make a few million extra to play for the Marlies? Sure the money is an advantage, but wherever he goes, he's going to get paid. There are lots of ifs and buts to the story.

Well nothing is for sure once you make the NHL... look at Daigle. For all we know he might be sent down to the AHL anyways. The extra millions while playing for the Marlies to me is not the carrot of this deal. The carrot is the fact he'll be a Unrestricted Free Agent at the age of 21, where he will have 30 teams bidding for his services.

Now imagine you put Lindros or Crosby out on the open market at that age... what do you think is going to happen?

It would be something unpresidented, and could revolutionize the draft (or at least make the NHL fix the loopholes). He could be the next Bobby Orr in that regards.

[whysoserious]

Nice to see JFJ doing something a little outside the box. I hope something like this actually goes through. May be bad for the league overall from the perspective of it could kill the draft, but from a Leafs perspective this would be ideal. Not many teams have the financial means to go after every young prospect.

On the other hand, if it's not fixed, a lot of young kids will be getting paid handsomely and if they don't pan out, it could scare some teams off. But for the Leafs, it shouldn't be a problem, they should be able to absorb those types of losses.

[The-Insider]

Well nothing is for sure once you make the NHL... look at Daigle. For all we know he might be sent down to the AHL anyways. The extra millions while playing for the Marlies to me is not the carrot of this deal. The carrot is the fact he'll be a Unrestricted Free Agent at the age of 21, where he will have 30 teams bidding for his services.

Now imagine you put Lindros or Crosby out on the open market at that age... what do you think is going to happen?

It would be something unpresidented, and could revolutionize the draft (or at least make the NHL fix the loopholes). He could be the next Bobby Orr in that regards.

Really? Teams would be paying max money and make a long term commitment to a player that hasn't proved anything in the NHL? Would he get a decent salary? Sure. Would he be making 7-8 mill a year? Probably not. What would be more beneficial, playing for the Marlines for a few extra mill, or start his NHL career at an early age? Is he likely to be amongst the highest played players in hockey at age 21 and straight out of the AHL? Or will he likely be in a better position as an up and coming (if not, already) NHL superstar? Is he more likely going to elevate his game with the Marlies or an NHL team? Like I said, there are too many ifs and buts to the story. He does want to play for the leafs; but to what magnitude?

[CPT]

I would love to see the Leafs pull something like this off, as unlikely as it may be.

One thing we seem to be forgetting about the money though, is endorsements. Just by being in the NHL, he'll be making enough in endorsements to even out any differences between the #1 pick contract and the Marlies contract.

That being said, signing a deal around 21 would put him in free agency again in his late 20s, instead of his early 30s, so there is the potential to earn much more again.

It's tough to make a case that playing in the AHL until he's 21 would really be better for the kid, but if he wants to play for the Leafs that badly, maybe it is for him.

[raps4life~]

its highly unlikely hes allowed to play for the marlies, let alone get to play for the LEAFS without getting drafted at all using this "loophole"

[MAS]

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Really? Teams would be paying max money and make a long term commitment to a player that hasn't proved anything in the NHL? Would he get a decent salary? Sure. Would he be making 7-8 mill a year? Probably not. What would be more beneficial, playing for the Marlines for a few extra mill, or start his NHL career at an early age? Is he likely to be amongst the highest played players in hockey at age 21 and straight out of the AHL? Or will he likely be in a better position as an up and coming (if not, already) NHL superstar? Is he more likely going to elevate his game with the Marlies or an NHL team? Like I said, there are too many ifs and buts to the story. He does want to play for the leafs; but to what magnitude?

I personally think he would be getting close to max money, ESPECIALLY after seasoning with the Marlies, which happens to be another benefit

[The-Insider]

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I personally think he would be getting close to max money, ESPECIALLY after seasoning with the Marlies, which happens to be another benefit

Considering the tight salary cap not too sure that a kid straight out of the AHL is going to be making close to max money. Who's likeier going to be making max money? Alexander Ovechkin, Vincent Lecavalier, Eric Staal, Jarome Iginla, Danny Heatly or the 21 year old John Tavares from the AHL Marlies? I personally feel that he will benefit more elevating his game through an NHL team rather then the Marlies at that age.