Capitals 2008 first round selection John Carlson (27th overall) and his London Knights will be getting a new teammate:

John Tavares is headed to the London Knights.
Sources tell TSN that the Oshawa General scoring star has waived his no-trade clause and approved a trade to the Knights after Generals’ general manager-coach Chris DePiero and Knights’ general manager Mark Hunter successfully concluded trade talks Thursday morning.

Those who following Major Junior hockey or the NHL’s top prospects are already familiar with Tavares, as are those who watched the NHL Network’s coverage of the IIHF World Junior Championships, where Tavares was second in scoring with eight goals and seven assist.

For those who aren’t familiar with Tavares, let’s just say this. He’s kind of a big deal. People know him. And Dale Hunter’s team apparently thought enough of him to give up “four second-round draft selections, two third-round choices, forward Christian Thomas, defenceman Scott Valentine and goaltender Michael Zador” in return for Tavares, Michael Del Zotto and Daryl Borden.

The OHL’s second leading scorer, Tavares joins a London team that is already leading its division with 61 points, also good enough for second in the league. For the Knights, the trade gives them a chance to not only win the Ontario League but to win the Memorial Cup, Major Junior’s biggest prize. That is, of course, provided the cup is fixed in time.

According to TSN the Maple Leafs are trying to acquire junior star John Tavares. The plan apparently is to have Tavares sign a contract with the Leafs’ AHL affiliate (also based in Toronto), and not sign with whichever NHL team drafted him. Then after two years, when the team that has drafted him saw their exclusive rights to Tavares expire, Tavares would sign with the Leafs. TSN’s Bob McKenzie sums it up:

It’s said the Leafs’ plan was to sign Tavares to a three-year AHL contract, suggesting he could play a year in the AHL, get drafted into the NHL, play two more years in the AHL and then become an unrestricted free agent in the NHL and sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the summer of 2011.

A sneaky move no doubt but it’s not really feasible. People are talking about Tavares like he could come into the NHL and have the same kind of impact as Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin. Given this it’s unlikely Tavares would want to put off playing in the NHL for two years (and signing his first NHL contract) in order to play for the Leafs. I suppose it’s worth a shot but with how poorly his team has been performing the last few season and his job unquestionably in danger John Ferguson Jr really ought to be worrying about more practical things.