Simply put you do not draft a franchise talent first overall, bring him from junior hockey all the way to the NHL with no veteran first line (or second line) players in terms of age/production and change that players position.
John Tavares is a center, that's where he should be playing if he's going to be in the NHL this season.
I have read some of Scott Gordon's comments about Tavares perhaps playing wing and the question is why?
So Doug Weight or Richard Park can be his center?
On my depth chart down the middle it's Tavares, Bailey, Nielsen for better or worse.
It appears the only opening is for Doug Weight to slide to the right side (Guerin's spot) to be his winger because Bergenheim, Comeau and Tambellini are all left wings but that means Okposo does not skate on his line because he is a right wing.
Let me set the NHL on paper depth chart and no I'm not including prospect signings.
Bergenheim-Tavares-Weight
Comeau-Bailey-Okposo
Tambellini-Nielsen-Hunter
Thompson/Sim-Park-Jackman
Streit-Martinek-Witt-Sutton-Meyer-Gervais-Hillen.
DiPietro-Roloson-Biron
Only Nate Thompson has a two way contract and he likely has to clear waivers, all seven defenders have one-way contracts.
I can blog about Joensuu, Figren, Smith, Bentivoglio, some of the AHL signings and the Sarnia connection in Bridgeport with Kohn, Katic and MacDonald all week and even talk about deHaan winning a job but this is where things stand right now regardless if Garth Snow invites someone or signs a fighter or a Satan/whoever or makes a trade.
How many times this summer did I say in audio blogs if you want to add you have to subtract?
Why change Tavares position when it's going to be all he can do to play his natural position at this level?
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