Rumours are circulating around OHL hockey
circles the OHL will announce as early as today or as late as
Friday afternoom that 14-year-old phenom John Tavares will be
declared eligible for the 2005 Priority Draft. It's then
expected that the Oshawa Generals will select Tavares first
overall Saturday.
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SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW |
OHL commissioner Dave Branch recently quashed
rumours the OHL would make the announcement this past Monday
(May 2) and said nothing
regarding Tavares being eligible was in
place.
Still, even the most connected hockey sources
are saying the OHL will make the announcement late Friday,
mostly to avoid the sure-fire, wide-spread media attention the
announcement will make.
The OHL entertained the idea of making
Tavares eligible for the draft this past March, but the OHL was
bombarded by public outrage over allowing 14-year-old hockey
prospects to be selected.
Tavares is seen as the next big thing in
Major Junior hockey. As a centre playing for the Toronto
Marlies minor midget squad, Tavares scored 83 goals and 147
points in 67 games. Tavares also played 16 games with the
Milton IceHawks in the Junior "A" Tier II loop, amassing 23
points, while playing against 20-year-old men.
Tavares, who stands six-foot-one and weighs
180 pounds has been wooed by the United States Hockey League
(USHL) to compete in its league, and the OHL is afraid Tavares
will be fully "wined and dined" by the USHL throughout his
playing time and end up never playing a game in the OHL.
Tavares will be 15 this September.
As an example, Tavares played in the same
midget league Sudbury Wolves' rookie centre Ryan McDonough
played in before joining the Wolves.
McDonough, as a 15-16 year old, scored 59
goals and 114 points in 41 games in that midget system.
McDonough, who stands five-foot-nine and
weighs about 170 pounds, had little trouble adjusting to the
rigours of the OHL.
As a 16-year-old rookie, McDonough registered
15 goals and 37 points in 58 games.
Scouts who have seen Tavares play this
season, and he believe he's worth all the hype.
"Tavares is a special kid," said
International Scouting Services (ISS) chief scout Mark Seidel.
"I saw Tavares in a game against Georgetown when he was playing
with Milton, and he was the best player on the ice, and he was
playing against former OHL players and 20 year olds. Tavares
reminds me of Sidney Crosby because he comes up big in big
games and is grounded attitude wise. He has the charisma to be
that good."
Nonetheless, if Tavares is declared eligible,
it will make Saturday's draft very intriguing because the
ramifications of Tavares being in the selection process opens
doors for teams to pick players they wouldn't have had a chance
at before.
The 2005 OHL Priority Draft starts at 9 am.
The Wolves' first pick is 13th overall.
Scott Hunter Haddow is Northern Life's sports
reporter.
