JT & the Subbanator

As I stood watching Canada's World Juniors sing the Canadian national anthem, I couldn't help but notice PK Subban and John Tavares more than anybody. Probably because Subs waving his gold medal at the camera was hilarious, but I digress...

Scouts have been salivating at the thought of drafting John Tavares since he was just 15-years-old. He was one of the best forwards at the tournament, racked up points with the best in Canadian World Junior history, and few would argue that he is slated to go 1st overall at this year's NHL entry draft.

PK Subban was simply electrifying. A jokester off the ice, and all business on the ice. Joining the rush, back checking, or leading the rush with his patented Sooby-Doo move, the guy is going to be giving Montreal Canadiens fans something to watch for years to come. And that's where it gets interesting...

John Tavares and PK Subban are friends off the ice, they're known each other for years, and now they've won two gold medals together. And while Subban has been drafted already, Tavares doesn't know where he'll end up.

If Leafs fans get their way, and they've been begging for him since at least last year, the Maple Leafs will do badly enough this season to get a lottery pick in the draft and - if they're lucky - draft John Tavares.

Will it happen? I have my doubts. But could you imagine? Wouldn't that give hockey's oldest rivalry a swift kick in the pants?

The phenom forward and the fan favourite defensemen. Childhood friends not just on opposing teams, but rivals. Playing each other six times a year to sold out crowds in Montreal and Toronto. It could happen, folks. Stranger things have happened.

Obviously OHL fans who have ever seen the Belleville Bulls take on the Oshawa Generals have probably already seen these guys play. Then you guys know how hard they go at each other. Now elevate that to the NHL level...wow.

And those teams are strikingly similar. Subban's Bulls are much like the Canadiens in the sense that they've got a playoff spot virtually on lock, provided there isn't a colossal collapse over the next couple months.

And Tavares' Generals? They're doing ho-hum in their division, but still not quite out of the thick of it, much like the Leafs. The Leafs have a star rookie in Luke Schenn, the Generals have their own star rookie d-man - Calvin de Haan - who should be drafted in the 1st or 2nd round in June. And as trade rumors flow in Toronto, Tavares has been surrounded by trade rumors all season long. In fact, he could be a London Knight by the time you read this blog! It's not a very well kept secret, is it?

Even if the Leaf don't get him, John Tavares might as well stay in Ottawa after the World Juniors and wait for the Sens to draft him the way they're playing. That's another situation where JT and the Subbanator or Subberman or whatever you'd like to call him, can play each other six time a season!

If the World Juniors were any indication of the talent level of these players, wouldn't it be something special to watch them play in the classic Toronto-Montreal rivalry? Boy oh boy.

After all, that whole gold medal thing must be getting boring to them. Might as well move on the the Stanley Cup.