Jan 09, 2009 - 04:00 AM

By Brian McNair

Even news that's widely expected takes us by surprise sometimes.

Such was the case when it broke yesterday afternoon that Oshawa Generals captain John Tavares, after three-and-a-half seasons here, had waived his no-trade clause and been dealt to the London Knights.

The rumours of such have been flying from the start of the season, and heated to a boiling point in Ottawa earlier this week.

But, now that it's actually happened, it smarts for fans of the Generals, and even for those of us who have been fortunate enough to cover him.

So, while I've spilled much ink in this space already, now's the perfect time to share more of my thoughts on this kid.

Kid, perhaps, is no longer appropriate, considering he's 18 and experienced more than many of us will in a lifetime.

But he certainly was that when he first arrived in Oshawa, 14 years young to be exact.

From the first day he addressed the media in early May 2005 until just this week at the World Junior Hockey Championships, Tavares has conducted himself with a poise and maturity well beyond his years.

That, no doubt, is why he was deemed to be exceptional by the OHL, which created a new rule to allow him into the league a year before he was eligible.

Although criticized in some parts at the time, the OHL was bang on with its assertion.

Tavares's work on the ice speaks for itself. He was the top rookie in both the OHL and CHL that year, then proceeded to break Wayne Gretzky's record of 70 goals as a 16-year-old the next.

And, while his statistics did not rise appreciably from there, he has become a much better all-round player, working hard on his skating and play away from the puck.

He still has his faults in those areas, mind you, and can test the patience of his coaches by taking extra long shifts, but there's no question in my mind about his dedication to his craft.

He has a desire that burns deep down inside to be the best, not only for himself, but for whatever team he suits up for.

Tavares was just that, of course, in Ottawa, where he was named the most valuable player in leading Canada to its fifth straight gold medal.

But, it was the manner in which he conducted himself off the ice that impressed me most, as he dealt with a consistent hoard of media with patience and class, despite all the trade and draft talk he clearly had no interest in at the time.

He just loves to play the game, as he told anyone who cared to listen.

The fact he is so exceptional at it has been a treat for us all over the past three-plus years.