Leafs looking at signing Tavares to AHL deal? Don t bother says AHL prez
Quote:
TORONTO - The Toronto Maple Leafs needn't bother even approaching 17-year-old phenom John Tavares about signing an AHL contract.
"The fact is, he would not be eligible to play in the American Hockey League next year," AHL president Dave Andrews told The Canadian Press on Thursday. "Our bylaws require that a player be 18 as of Sept. 15 of the season in question for the player to be eligible. He doesn't fit those criteria."
Stories in two Canadian newspapers on Thursday suggested the Leafs were contemplating trying to sign Tavares to an AHL deal to play for their farm team, the Toronto Marlies.
A source close to the situation confirmed to The Canadian Press it was an idea the Leafs were toying with. Leafs GM John Ferguson did not immediately return a phone message.
All of this was news to the firm representing Tavares.
"We have not had a conversation with the Leafs, the Marlies or any member club in the NHL in this regard," said Tavares' agent, Bryan Deasley, of Siskinds Group. "I have not talked to anybody about this. This is completely shocking to my group and to John. Where this comes from, we don't know."
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NHL.com - News
For the rest of the league, no worries now it looks like. Story is continued below. Sounds like Tavares agents never even knew of this claim, so it's begininning to sound more like a phoney rumour made up on a slow day by somebody...