Trade Rumors and Free Agent TalkTrade rumors, transactions, and free agent talk. Rumors must contain the word RUMOR in post title. Proposals must contain the word PROPOSAL in post title.
As the Leafs, if we had a top pick i would prefer Braydon Schenn or Hedman over Tavares. Tavares scares me, i think he is going to be one of the biggest busts in history. He just sprouted too early and i think he is too slow to be in the NHL. I just can't see him doing anyting that impressive in the league. I would love for the Leafs to get top 5 pick and just land Schenn.
If the rinks sizes were the same as the NHL rinks I might think there's a chance. Since they're bigger and Tavares' biggest issue is his skating I can't see it happening. He might not put as many points with all that extra room. A players like Tavares would get better the smaller the rink got. Then there would be the whole adjusting again to the NA rink sizes.
Decent point, but just to play Devil's advocate...this could really force him to work on his skating. He can get by, as is, in the OHL, but he'll have to work to cut it in the KHL or NHL. Might as well try to get the kinks out before he hits the big show, over here.
He didn't really improve last year, which is a disappointment. If he was a complete player, I'd say he might need to play at a higher level to improve, but he has basic stuff to work on. His skating and defensive game don't cut it. I doubt a KHL team would invest millions in him to get a guy that plays pond hockey style without knowing if he can adapt to their league.
In the KHL, he'd probably post something like 10+4 in 50 games if he received regular ice-time, which ain't bad for a young guy, but that's not worth millions. And that's if he doesn't hate it and quit halway, which is always a possibility.
Imo, he should play in the OHL and dominate the way Crosby did dominate his last QMJHL year. Otherwise, he might not even be the first pick in next year's draft.
Why not? Go make a couple of million bucks and get some experience playing against men.
no. its not a smart business move. thats why not.
that kids going to be coddled and handed to Toronto so they can have new marketing in that forsaken hell hole.
Pretty sure that Crosby's agent stated that if the work stoppage dragged into the 05-06 season, Crosby was going to Europe. Either Switzerland or Finland.
Tavares to the KHL, SM-Liiga, Swiss-A or whatever for 1 year isn't that bad of an idea. He wouldn't be giving up on the NHL as a few dolts in this thread seem to think. It's just a way for him to make a lot of money AND play with and against better hockey players with more on the line. It's the best of both worlds, and I don't see why he wouldn't at least entertain the thought.
Tavares would have to break his OHL contract with the Greyhounds which would surely end up in court. He's under contract until his CHL eligibility expires. If a junior eligible player under contract plays overseas without a valid ITC (International Transfer Card) he would be suspended from future IIHF events. It would be the same as the Petr Kanko situation. ( see http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/n...html?tx_ttnews[backPid]=1&cHash=383e849d09 ).
It's also likely he'd lose his recently signed endorsement deal with Rebook and jeopardize any endorsement deals currently being negotiated. His mother is his agent now. Maybe his former agent would consider this move, but his mom is looking after his long-term interests. Being vilified in North America and called a traitor in Canada isn't the future she has in mind.
This would be phenomenal. It's what I've been talking about all along. This would go off like a bomb. It makes sense for him to go, b/c he's still going to be the #1 pick, and he can make ridiculous money for a year. The only thing that would hurt his draft status would be if he signed over there for more than one year. How funny would it be if he went over there and signed a 5 year contract for big money, then came back to North America as a unrestricted free agent? This could get good...
Do you really think you're smarter than NHL scouts, and that they won't realize that such a drop in production would be entirely due to the larger rink? You'd have to give scouts/GMs credit for being incredibly stupid to believe that such a thing will cause his draft stock to plummet.
Because if he were to sign in the KHL, then lets say he cannot adapt his game to the bigger rink style or something like that, and he has a very poor season, his draft stock will plummet. If he stays in the O, he is assured to continue tearing up the league (barring injury) and is assured to top 2 draft spot.
Actually if i am him, i would want my draft stock to drop. That means i could have a chance to play with a more decent team surround by better players.
Actually if i am him, i would want my draft stock to drop. That means i could have a chance to play with a more decent team surround by better players.
By not going first your lossing out on a massive amount of money.
how the Hell does the KHL make this money to afford to sign someone at a competitive rate to the NHL. They were ready to sign Malkin at 11 MIllion alright, fair enough, its a business. But how? Do they have world class stadiums like the ones we have in North America, do they charge tickets like we do, at the average NHL price. (cheapests ticket for a Vancouver game is 70 bucks). LIke how do they do it. IN order to compete for NHL players you have to have fan like base like the NHL. As far as I know, no city outside of North America can really emulate a fan base like the NHL. You need at least 14000 strong, and KHL is not the best leauge in the world.
It's all about the owners really. Most Russian teams don't come close to the revenue other European teams have. They neither have the big modern arenas, filled at higher prices, nor do they have the sponsors other countries like Switzerland or Germany can offer. If you rank the leagues by revenue, Russia is definately not at the top.
Doesn't really matter though, because those teams that do spend big money also have extremely rich owners, who can afford to lose money on hockey.
