Overexposed Players..

[AmericanDream]

John Tavares..That name can bring up many a comment or argument or whatever you want..but is this kid overexposed, or soon to be? And before people start going overboard here, I am not saying he will be #1 or not, I am simply asking if playing 4 full years of major junior hockey can overexpose you by your draft year?

I have had arguments and conversations over the #1 pick for 08', and how some think Stamkos is untouchable now. Not going down that road, so dont bother commenting on that. But that got me thinking about Tavares and how he is rated #1 so early and for so many years that by the time the draft comes, could he get bypassed by someone who has come out of nowhere? Is that possible?? This is the kid who 6 months ago people said was untouchable, but now thanks to Hedman is atleast catchable..how?? All he has done is prove that he is elite, and he still has 2 years to continue that.

I guess what I am saying here is does going into the CHL at 15 years old hurt you in the long run for the draft? Dont get me wrong, this kid will have no trouble going high or making it to the NHL, but does his overexposure hurt him in the long run? Gm's like to draft on promise and future, say a player like a Hedman emerges in 09' doesnt a gm get a little more excited about what their future "could" be instead of seeing what Tavares will be after watching him play for four seasons. Does any of this make sense??

I am not down on Tavares at all, just wondering if he becomes passable by 09' because we have been spoiled watching him for four years, and we know "exactly" what he is and will be. Any thoughts??

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[Blind Gardien]

John Tavares...

But that got me thinking about Tavares and how he is rated #1 so early and for so many years that by the time the draft comes, could he get bypassed by someone who has come out of nowhere? Is that possible?? This is the kid who 6 months ago people said was untouchable, but now thanks to Hedman is atleast catchable..how??

We should know that pretty much *anything* is possible in the draft. And as for Hedman making him seem catchable... well I'd put that down more to Hedman coming on so strong than to any factor whatsoever related to Tavares (certainly not "overexposure").

I guess what I am saying here is does going into the CHL at 15 years old hurt you in the long run for the draft? Dont get me wrong, this kid will have no trouble going high or making it to the NHL, but does his overexposure hurt him in the long run?

I can't remotely see how it could actually hurt him. It might hurt some fanboys debating his case on a hockey message board. But so what. Any player in the first round of the draft basically gets the rookie max salary. You don't have to be 1st overall to get the big bonus packages. So he's got no financial disadvantage if he didn't go #1. Who knows, arguably he could even end up on a better team too, which could be to his advantage.

I think the biggest concern on the Tavares issue is the level of competition he'll be facing in these next two key developmental seasons. He already owns the OHL at 16. He's not going to get pushed very hard by just continuing to own it. I don't think his character will really allow him to get "complacent", exactly, but it's still not the most ideal developmental situation all the same.

"Overexposure" is really just an issue for the watchers, not the player, and if we decide to get our shorts in a knot over-analyzing or nitpicking on Tavares or whatever, well, that's our problem, not his.

 

[whatthef]

I don't know I was hearing about Crosby the same way about 4 years before he was drafted, and it didn't seem to hurt him any.

 

[Street Hawk]

Game needs work

I think the biggest concern on the Tavares issue is the level of competition he'll be facing in these next two key developmental seasons. He already owns the OHL at 16. He's not going to get pushed very hard by just continuing to own it. I don't think his character will really allow him to get "complacent", exactly, but it's still not the most ideal developmental situation all the same.

"Overexposure" is really just an issue for the watchers, not the player, and if we decide to get our shorts in a knot over-analyzing or nitpicking on Tavares or whatever, well, that's our problem, not his.

Tavares, while dominant in the OHL at 16, still needs work on his skating ability. If he can add some more speed by strengthening his lower body and taking some power skating lessons in the next 2 years, he'll be that much better at the pro level.

And Tavares knows that's an area of his game that needs improvement.

 

[Blind Gardien]

Tavares, while dominant in the OHL at 16, still needs work on his skating ability. If he can add some more speed by strengthening his lower body and taking some power skating lessons in the next 2 years, he'll be that much better at the pro level.

And Tavares knows that's an area of his game that needs improvement.

Agreed. Ideally he'd be able to work on his skating against competition that he hadn't already been able to dominate, that's all.