Jonathan Drouin requests trade from Tampa

[Instant Karma]

Don't like this move by Drouin. Reminds me of Nikita Filatov.

Ugh. Things are indeed looking bad, but let us not resort to the F-word.

[ericdaoust]

Ugh. Things are indeed looking bad, but let us not resort to the F-word.

I think Filatov should be a censored word.

[Instant Karma]

I think a lot of this is smoke and mirrors... he's got no leverage in this situation so I doubt Yzerman entertains a move here just because his agent is trying to fan the flames.

Yzerman's response to the media pretty much said it all - shut up and report to the farm team.

IF Yzerman did move him though, I'd love for the Leafs to pick him up. He's got some ways to go, but he fits right into their time horizon and he'd get lots of ice time in Toronto.

I agree. The impending Stamkos free-agency kind of ties Yzerman's hands at this point. He can't make any moves like this until that issue is resolved. Otherwise he's just taking shots in the dark.

[PenguinHunter]

I'd love to see Drouin in Philly - wonder what it would cost for Yzerman to keep him in the East?

me as well!

[PenguinHunter]

Well with Marty I recall it being about the Olympic snub, which highlights a potential communication issue. But I believe there was also something about wanting to be closer to his family after his mother passed away.

Did his mother not pass away after he was traded? Was he not with the Rangers in the playoffs when this happened? I don't recall and often get timelines mixed up... but something made me think this.

[newfcollins]

There should be a pool of players that if you demand a trade, you have to go to one of those other teams where players are demanding trades from.

So Drouin for RyJo.

But wouldn't a better deal be something revolve around something like Drouin for Marleau? San Jose starts a mini-rebuild. Tampa gets a veteran that is only signed for another year after this one, so his cap hit will be off the books when they need to re-sign Johnson et al.

[PenguinHunter]

There should be a pool of players that if you demand a trade, you have to go to one of those other teams where players are demanding trades from.

So Drouin for RyJo.

But wouldn't a better deal be something revolve around something like Drouin for Marleau? San Jose starts a mini-rebuild. Tampa gets a veteran that is only signed for another year after this one, so his cap hit will be off the books when they need to re-sign Johnson et al.

I like your concept... Toss in a three way deal and get Hamonic involved. haha.

I also think your Marleau deal makes sense for both teams. Probably need more than just 1 for 1 to make it work... but I like it.

[Instant Karma]

There should be a pool of players that if you demand a trade, you have to go to one of those other teams where players are demanding trades from.

So Drouin for RyJo.

But wouldn't a better deal be something revolve around something like Drouin for Marleau? San Jose starts a mini-rebuild. Tampa gets a veteran that is only signed for another year after this one, so his cap hit will be off the books when they need to re-sign Johnson et al.

Has RyJo been demanding a trade? I know that there are some of us who would hope to see him traded...

[LawMan]

This whole situation reminds me a lot of Yakupov in Edmonton.

-both were top-3 picks drafted by struggling franchises who had very high hopes for their offensive upside;
-both are small, offense first wingers who have questions surrounding their defensive abilities;
-both were supposed to walk into training camp and be assigned to top-line top-PP minutes and would rattle off 30-goal, 70 point seasons (by home team fans);
-both ended up not scoring right away, losing ice-time and struggling to gain the confidence of their head coach;
-both have been the speculation of trade rumours.

The big difference is the Lightning tried to do it "the right way" with Drouin by keeping him in Juniors for an extra year, and now sending him to the AHL to "work on his game". Meanwhile Yakupov started immediately in the NHL and has never been sent down (and now can't be without waivers), it's interesting and refreshing to me as an Oilers fan that the "right way" of slower development curve didn't automatically work for Drouin either. Also, Yakupov has more or less said all the right things through his struggles, he's had a few moments of frustration seep out in interviews but never attacks on the coach or other players just "I wish I could score more" which of course the media love to jump all over.

I don't think the Oilers would be overly interested as McDavid-Yak did have a good thing going before they were both hurt but a Yak for Drouin swap would be interesting in the offseason. It would also be interesting to see which side, if either, had to add a plus to get the deal done.

[Instant Karma]

This whole situation reminds me a lot of Yakupov in Edmonton.
...
I don't think the Oilers would be overly interested as McDavid-Yak did have a good thing going before they were both hurt but a Yak for Drouin swap would be interesting in the offseason. It would also be interesting to see which side, if either, had to add a plus to get the deal done.

Although this trade would be interesting from an academic standpoint, I seriously doubt Yzerman would be interested either. If there's no room for Drouin and his skillset, then why would there be room for Yak either? At best he'd just be trading one headache for another (and as you pointed out, one that can't be sent down).

[ericdaoust]

Has RyJo been demanding a trade? I know that there are some of us who would hope to see him traded...

I'm not sure, it might just be Tortorella trying to plant a story in the media.

[RizzeeDizzee]

Interesting to read the other past player comparisons. I posted in the Hockey(x4) thread that it strikes me as similar to what happened with Turris. Sure - maybe different motivators; but both players were similar picks at similar stages in their career. It will be interesting to see what TB would get for Drouin vs. what the Coyotes received for Turris, and to see if Drouin can prove he was the real deal like Turris has finally done these past two seasons.

[Mr. Guru]

Drouin put up 6 points in his first 5 games this year. Never playing less than 15 minutes (he played 14:52 one game).

The following 14 games he played over 15 minutes 3 times.


????????

[metaldude26]

Did his mother not pass away after he was traded? Was he not with the Rangers in the playoffs when this happened? I don't recall and often get timelines mixed up... but something made me think this.

I can't recall the specifics. I just know he was only willing to go to New York.

[rataylor22]

I'm not sure if Kuz is an apt comparison. He had five years of pro hockey (4-1/2 in the KHL) before his breakout this year. Drouin is a kid straight from the Q. Not saying Drouin doesn't carry much of the responsibility for his poor showing so far, but TB has flubbed his development IMO.

By sending him to the AHL and allowing him to develop playing pro hockey? The KHL and AHL are similarly talented leagues. If we're using the Kuzya comparison, Drouin should have no complaints about spending at least 2 more seasons in the AHL before seeing 3rd line NHL minutes for a full season and then finally EARNING a top 6 role (again, something he most certainly has not done to this point). Maybe NHL rules have somewhat hurt his development (having to go back to junior because they couldn't send him to the AHL), but Tampa hasn't done anything to flub his development. Saying they have because they haven't spoiled and pampered him like a whiny little kid is silly.

It's also at this point pretty silly to say Drouin is their top prospect. That assertation is really because of his draft slot, which is irrelevant now. I mean, maybe he is because most of their other good prospects have graduated to the NHL, but in previous years Kucherov, Palat, Namestnikov, Johnson should/would have all been rated higher on their prospect list through how they had played. Eventually, draft slot just doesn't matter.