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John Tavares will not make his debut with the London Knights on Friday night when his former team the Oshawa Generals visit the John Labatt Centre.
Knights’ owner Mark Hunter confirmed the news to Hockeycentral @ Noon. The debut is expected to come on Sunday at home against the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors.
Tavares was officially traded to the Knights on Thursday along with teammates Michael Del Zotto and goaltender Daryl Borden. The Generals received a package of forward Christian Thomas, defenceman Scott Valentine, goaltender Michael Zador and six draft picks for Tavares, the projected first-overall draft pick. The picks involved will be London’s four second-round picks for the next four years, and the Knights third round picks in both 2010 and 2011.
“In the end it became obvious to us that it made more sense for Oshawa to move John to another team,” Tavares’s agent Pat Brisson told The Canadian Press. “We are glad that it was done in a professional manner by (Generals GM and coach) Chris DePiero.”
The Knights are 30-8 with one shootout loss and sit atop the Midwest standings with 61 points.
