Oshawa coach-GM Chris DePiero may a have a Memorial Cup contender on his hands thanks to John Tavares.
It didn't take long.
In fact the game hadn't even begun yet when a voice from the crowd bellowed, not once, but twice: "Where's Tavares? Where's Tavares?"
You just knew it was coming.
My first thought was knucklehead! Then it occurred to me, many fans simply do not understand what unfolded last week when the Generals did exactly what sportsnet.ca reported they'd do six weeks ago by trading John Tavares to the London Knights. Not only that, this guy is a paying customer and he has the right to be upset.
The Generals traded Tavares along with defenceman Michael Del Zotto and goaltender Daryl Borden for forward Christian Thomas, defenceman Scott Valentine and goalie Michael Zador along with four second round draft choices and two third round picks.
Considering London's main competition for Tavares, the Windsor Spitfires, completed a mega trade two days earlier and were no for all intents and purposes out of the bidding war, Oshawa coach-GM Chris DePiero did remarkably well in the deal. DePiero said one other team did come to the plate with a significant offer, but after Windsor made it's trade with Kitchener, it opened the door to London looking beyond Tavares and making Del Zotto part of the deal, too. Watch yourself closely if you ever get into a poker game with DePiero.
The fact of the matter is, DePiero really had no choice but to trade Tavares. If he held on to Tavares he'd lose him after this season and would have nothing to show as the franchise moves forward. With Tavares in the lineup the Generals might have made the playoffs, but they were not bona fide Memorial Cup contenders. Also, the Generals didn't believe it made sense to be a buyer at the trade deadline and surround Tavares with more veteran support. It may have helped short-term, but would have crippled the organization beyond this season.
Now they have a mitt full of assets to work with. They have options they would not have had if they chose to keep Tavares. They can use the draft picks for themselves or trade them for experienced players.
"What I have heard from people is the trade was a win-win situation for both teams," DePiero said. "And from a junior hockey perspective that is the perfect scenario."
That may not satisfy some Generals fans as the season plays out, but trust me, if DePiero plays his cards right, he can turn his team into a championship contender very quickly.
Oshawa has been home to some of the best junior hockey players ever…Bobby Orr, Eric Lindros among them. But those players graduated from the Generals to the pro ranks. What irks many Generals fans is the fact the team that picks first in the 2009 NHL entry draft will step up to the microphone and say, "The New York Islanders (or whomever) are pleased to select from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League…John Tavares."
And when that happens, it will be like daggers through the hearts of the Generals faithful that gathered weekly to watch this young scoring machine work his magic for more than three years.
Note to the team that picks first: Perhaps you can say, "…from the Oshawa Generals and London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League…" Just a thought.
So on the first night of the post-Tavares era in Oshawa, it was an enthusiastic crowd of 5,580 that gathered at the GM Centre to watch their Generals face their old rivals, the Peterborough Petes. And despite the sentiments of one lone voice in the wilderness, the rest of the fans in attendance appeared to have a wonderful time.
Not only that, it was a pretty good game. It started with a fight three seconds in and quickly turned into a thrilling battle featuring good goaltending and plenty of end-to-end action with the Generals winning 5-3.
No Tavares? No problem.
Thomas, the son of former NHLer Steve Thomas, served notice that he will be a player to be reckoned with moving forward. He is on the small side, like dad, but he has lightning quickness and excellent hands. Valentine, a 6-foot-2 and 200-pound defender, also looked very good.
The Petes, meanwhile, are a team that also knows a thing or two about losing players before their time having watched Eric and Jordan Staal as well as Zack Bogosian leave them for the NHL as underage pros. Talk about drafting well - perhaps too well! Sunday night they fell behind early, but never quit. Zack Kassian scored two goals including one on a laser shot that would have beat any goalie on the planet while Tony Romano, a New Jersey Devils draft pick, was his team's most dominant performer and scored once.
Those who bought tickets for the game prior to the big trade hoping to see Tavares might have been disappointed at the prospect of not being able to watch the player most have tabbed as the odds-on favourite to be the first player chosen next June in the NHL draft, but surely they left the GM Centre satisfied with what they saw. And why not? Generals fans have lots to look forward to.
One final note: You can take the kid out of Oshawa, but you can't take Oshawa out of the kid. As DePiero was leaving the arena Sunday night he received a text from Tavares congratulating him on the victory.
Nice touch John.
