HabsCast Hockey Blog

Disclaimer: If you don’t like the article, please, hunt down Gross, it’s his fault, he asked me to write.

The aim of this article is not to speak about the terrible on-ice product the Maple Leafs provide, or for that matter the unrealistic expectations for middle tier players Toronto fans have (really, Hal Gill leading Toronto to a cup?), or even how the Leafs just suck. While all of these topics are factually true (the Habscast guys do a fine job pointing these out). Instead, I want to address something more topical: The sneaky attempt to steal away Tavares before the draft.

Aside from the obvious nonsense which would result from such a signing - Tavares would in essence be giving up a couple of years of NHL eligibility to play for the Leafs AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies - this would start a dangerous precedent. Assuming kids want to play for the team they grew up watching, talent would become grossly lopsided.

I cannot name a single player that came from Florida. I imagine that would result in at least two teams whose homegrown talent would top out at a beer league scoring champion. Granted, this would take a long time to play out; I fear it would still affect things.

Also, as a big hockey nerd (emphasis on nerd) it would deem the draft absolutely meaningless, and I really like the draft. What would be the point of having the draft at all if the really coveted players could be scouted when they were 7? This is why FIFA has no draft, because kids are picked out and trained starting at 11 to become superstars. Is this the healthiest thing for the kid or Leaf nation, to have a 13 year old tabbed as the Leafs’ future savior?

Another problem with this act is John Tavares’ age. Sure, he missed the cut-off by five days. But if an exception is made for five days, then two weeks surely deserves an exception, and if two weeks deserves an exception, there is no real reason why one month wouldn’t deserve an exception as well. It is a slippery slope.

The reason I dislike the idea of progressively younger kids entering the NHL (aside from the fact that Chris Pronger laying out a 17 year old kid probably won’t help the league sell itself) is that I am proud of hockey players. The majority of guys around the league present themselves very well. For example, Olaf Kolzig is a founding member of Athletes Against Autism, Saku Koivu won the Clancy Trophy for his humanitarian work dealing with his fight against Cancer, and countless other NHLers lead very active charitable lives. Among others, this is one reason why out of all the professional sports, hockey players have the best reputation. Another is that, unlike baseball and basketball, hockey doesn’t draft kids right out of high school. The league also doesn’t hand 16 year olds millions of dollars of cash and then tells them to go out and be wild. Basketball is notorious for that kind of thing, where young millionaires get caught with all sorts of rape allegations, drug charges, and domestic violence (and those are the stars). NFL Footballers, who play the sport with the biggest market share in North America, have had their Madden 2005 cover boy take the season off to deal with being indicted on federal dog-fighting charges (again amongst others). Needless to say besides the occasional Mark Bell stupidity - and I do not want to understate the stupidity of his actions - the worst things that Hockey guys tend to do off-the-ice is get speeding tickets (see Jagr) and get drunk with their brothers (see Staal Bachelor Party ’07). Hockey guys are the best guys in the world (Yes, I am channeling out Don Cherry) and letting in kids that may not necessarily be ready for the type of responsibility that comes with representing hockey would smear that well-deserved reputation.

Some would counter my argument with a claim that I am afraid that the Ontario teams would scoop up all of the talent. To that I scoff (loudly), because for every Thorton from London, you have a Lecavalier from Ile Bizard ready to put up 100 points a year. And while the players do tend to come up favoring Leaf/Senator following areas, I am pretty sure that just as many players would want to put on the damn sexy CH.

For these aforementioned crimes the Maple Leafs are actively trying to ruin the NHL.

Sources:
Where NHL Players Come From (onthewings.blogspot.com)
Where all 5,592 Players in NHL History Came From (onthewings.blogspot.com)

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