About half an hour to go until the New York Islanders do one of two things: Take to the stage and announce who their number one pick is or trade down with the Toronto Maple Leafs and watch them take to the stage to announce John Tavares as their number one pick. The later is the certain bet if Brian Burke is to believed who just a few months ago promised he would do everything he could to move his team up to the top pick to get their dream player. But it isn’t crucial that the Leafs get Tavares, giving up too much just to get one player is never to wise, but it should be exciting to see what happens regardless.

Tavares is a gifted player, no doubt about it, but a lot of people are wondering if he is being built up to more than he is. Is he the next Sidney Crosby or the next Jason Spezza? Both great players but one a go-to elite superstar, the other just a superstar. Tavares will have a great career in the NHL but whether he could be the Leafs man to build a team around remains to be seen … We mightn’t even get the chance to find out if the Islanders do not bite.

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With the trade deadline only a few weeks away hockey bloggers and rumor men a like have been getting a little uneasy in their seats with no trades coming through to report and talk about. That was until tonight when two teams with no real hope (zero if you’re the Islanders) of making the playoffs swung a deal that left some people, including me scratching their heads.

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