Probably a combination of factors.

Hit some turbulence (and injuries) on-ice, never got his responsibilities back after that. Off-ice, he's the only waiver-exempt forward they have, I believe.
- Tomahawk

I think injuries and lost playing time is a factor. They want him to get some heavy ice-time to get his game back. There's no doubt he is a high talented player but where he's at now as a player is being drastically overblown. A part of the reason why he hasn't gotten more ice time and a bigger role is that overall he just hasn't been that good.

How's the WJC Gold Medal game going? Is there an online feed to it anywhere?

At least that never happens here w/ Hak.
- Tomahawk

It's probably a combination of Drouin's sense of entitlement coupled with Cooper just trusting certain players over others. Especially players he has a history with.

It's not uncommon to see a coach fall in love with some players at the expense of other players.

That said, Drouin has not covered himself in glory in this situation, either, from the perspective of taking care of his own business on his end.
- johndewar

See, that's what they're talking about -- Tyler Johnson was banged up, Kucherov too, and they slotted back in where they were

Again, Drouin is a younger player but he won the 1LW job. I don't know why Cooper put him on the fourth line. I have no idea why. But you do not have a sense of entitlement when you actually won the job in camp

That's not entitled. That is earned

Rantanen is deadly from behind the net. He has created 3 scoring chances from there.

See, that's what they're talking about -- Tyler Johnson was banged up, Kucherov too, and they slotted back in where they were

Again, Drouin is a younger player but he won the 1LW job. I don't know why Cooper put him on the fourth line. I have no idea why. But you do not have a sense of entitlement when you actually won the job in camp

That's not entitled. That is earned
- AllInForFlyers

So you're saying the Patriots should have kept playing Drew Bledsoe over Tom Brady after Bledsoe came back since he had won the starting QB job in camp in 2001?

I love Pettersson and all, but I don't think you can slot him as a top-6 guy next year, especially with Alt, Marti, and Wilcox (and possibly Manning) to contend with. I'd like him to be in the top-6, but he could find himself a #7/ECHL-bound.
- jmatchett383

Alt isn't signed, and neither is Wilcox.

Marti is listed ahead of Pettersson despite playing fewer games for the Phantoms than him this season since he has suffered from UBIs for most of the past year.

Idk. A coach not playing one of the franchises best players doesn't make much sense to me. The Lightning made it to the SCF last year, and Drouin wasn't playing in a large majority of the playoff games. I don't know what is going on with Drouin.
- PLindbergh31

That's kind of the thing, the Lightning are a deep team, they don't really need Drouin to play a big role for them. On a team like the Flyers, he's probably playing next to Giroux or Couturier, on the power play and getting a bigger role.

Yzerman came from Detroit, where a top prospect didn't just get inserted into the line up. They often spent time in the AHL and developed. Drouin seemed to be bugged by that last season, may well have been upset that he was sent back to junior when MacKinnon, Barkov and Jones all stuck in the NHL. He's definitely mad he didn't get his job back when he returned from injury this season.

Is that justified? That's the big question. If he's a skilled but spoiled kid, I'm not that eager to get involved-especially for a big price. If he's a guy who feels he legitimately earned a shot and was denied due to a coach playing favorites or feels that he was lied to or misled, it might be a different story.

There's a good column on Broad Street Hockey about Drouin's situation and the possibility of the Flyers possibly being interested. I agree with the points made.

See, that's what they're talking about -- Tyler Johnson was banged up, Kucherov too, and they slotted back in where they were

Again, Drouin is a younger player but he won the 1LW job. I don't know why Cooper put him on the fourth line. I have no idea why. But you do not have a sense of entitlement when you actually won the job in camp

That's not entitled. That is earned
- AllInForFlyers

Even if it was earned out of camp, a 20 year old player who is not an established NHL player has to continue to earn it day after day. Nothing is permanent.

How's the WJC Gold Medal game going? Is there an online feed to it anywhere?
- jmatchett383

1-1, 2nd period. Sweeden has been on the PK practically the whole 2nd period.

EDIT PP Goal for Finland. 2-1.

Alt isn't signed, and neither is Wilcox.

Marti is listed ahead of Pettersson despite playing fewer games for the Phantoms than him this season since he has suffered from UBIs for most of the past year.
- Feanor

I know they're not signed past this year (or at all), but I expect them to be. Sorry for trying to list possibilities on here, I know this site is only to be used for facts set in stone.

I'm not saying that Marti (or Alt/Friedman) will be ahead of him, simply that I don't think he can be pencilled in as a top-5 guy for next year 1/3 of the way through this season.

So you're saying the Patriots should have kept playing Drew Bledsoe over Tom Brady after Bledsoe came back since he had won the starting QB job in camp in 2001?
- jmatchett383

No, I am saying that Jonathan Drouin won the 1LW job after a dominant preseason, was on fire in the regular season, got hurt, and came back on the fourth line after missing two weeks

You can interpret that any way you want. That's what happened, that's why the kid is pissed, because he already had problems with the coach and he feels the coach is screwing him

Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe have zero to do with this

Screw everyone. If Drouin can be had in a reasonable deal I make that move.
- hereticpride

L Schenn and lottery protected #1

My issue with Drouin isn't the argument of earned or didn't earn spot in lineup. My problem is he's a young prospect who isn't taking what a lot of prospects have happen to them and that is a demotion. As a pro, you're supposed to report to camp looking to fix whatever you need to do to get yourself back in the NHL, not kick your feet and expect a franchise to respect you.

That's kind of the thing, the Lightning are a deep team, they don't really need Drouin to play a big role for them. On a team like the Flyers, he's probably playing next to Giroux or Couturier, on the power play and getting a bigger role.

Yzerman came from Detroit, where a top prospect didn't just get inserted into the line up. They often spent time in the AHL and developed. Drouin seemed to be bugged by that last season, may well have been upset that he was sent back to junior when MacKinnon, Barkov and Jones all stuck in the NHL. He's definitely mad he didn't get his job back when he returned from injury this season.

Is that justified? That's the big question. If he's a skilled but spoiled kid, I'm not that eager to get involved-especially for a big price. If he's a guy who feels he legitimately earned a shot and was denied due to a coach playing favorites or feels that he was lied to or misled, it might be a different story.

There's a good column on Broad Street Hockey about Drouin's situation and the possibility of the Flyers possibly being interested. I agree with the points made.
- Jsaquella

I agree with your points JSAQ. I will check out that article. If the Bolts did decide to move Drouin now, would his stock be down? I mean if the Flyers could add him for a reasonable package you would have to consider it. His skill set really fills a Flyers weakness. Would Simmonds, Morin, and this years # 1 be a massive overpayment?

No, I am saying that Jonathan Drouin won the 1LW job after a dominant preseason, was on fire in the regular season, got hurt, and came back on the fourth line after missing two weeks

You can interpret that any way you want. That's what happened, that's why the kid is pissed, because he already had problems with the coach and he feels the coach is screwing him

Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe have zero to do with this
- AllInForFlyers

Brady/Bledsoe was an analogy. A guy won the job out of camp, played well, gotr hurt, and never got it back when he got healthy.

Also, a 20-year-old kid who wins a job is different from a 25-year-old winning a job. A guy in his rookie (or, in this case, second) season needs to keep earning his job to keep it.

It's possible that the coach is playing favorites, I don't know. But again, I agree with Bill that he seems to feel that he should be given things because he was such a high pick. Maybe the coach wanted him to work his way back up after his injury to make sure he was healthy enough to handle the top line and he didn't like it.

That's kind of the thing, the Lightning are a deep team, they don't really need Drouin to play a big role for them. On a team like the Flyers, he's probably playing next to Giroux or Couturier, on the power play and getting a bigger role.

Yzerman came from Detroit, where a top prospect didn't just get inserted into the line up. They often spent time in the AHL and developed. Drouin seemed to be bugged by that last season, may well have been upset that he was sent back to junior when MacKinnon, Barkov and Jones all stuck in the NHL. He's definitely mad he didn't get his job back when he returned from injury this season.

Is that justified? That's the big question. If he's a skilled but spoiled kid, I'm not that eager to get involved-especially for a big price. If he's a guy who feels he legitimately earned a shot and was denied due to a coach playing favorites or feels that he was lied to or misled, it might be a different story.

There's a good column on Broad Street Hockey about Drouin's situation and the possibility of the Flyers possibly being interested. I agree with the points made.
- Jsaquella

I remeber Brosd Street linked us to him last season after playoffs. Think it was a trade our 7th pick for him?

I know they're not signed past this year (or at all), but I expect them to be. Sorry for trying to list possibilities on here, I know this site is only to be used for facts set in stone.

I'm not saying that Marti (or Alt/Friedman) will be ahead of him, simply that I don't think he can be pencilled in as a top-5 guy for next year 1/3 of the way through this season.
- jmatchett383

Yeah I agree with you.

I think Petterson is a possible AHL call up because if certain guys are signed I don't see him making the top 6 for the phantoms.

Have we fixed our ES goal scoring problem by trading for the stud LW who has 3 ES goals in his 89 game NHL career yet?
- Feanor

You mean Simmonds, B.Schenn and 3 of our next first round picks aren't gone yet for this up and coming MAYBE?

I agree with your points JSAQ. I will check out that article. If the Bolts did decide to move Drouin now, would his stock be down? I mean if the Flyers could add him for a reasonable package you would have to consider it. His skill set really fills a Flyers weakness. Would Simmonds, Morin, and this years # 1 be a massive overpayment?
- PLindbergh31

To me, yeah, that is a HUGE overpayment. Taking any perceived attitude questions out of the equation, I'd remove Morin from there, and that pick becomes lottery protected.

Also, keep in mind, since the Flyers will give up so much to get them, they basically need to resign him which gives his agent a poopload of leverage.

To me, yeah, that is a HUGE overpayment. Taking any perceived attitude questions out of the equation, I'd remove Morin from there, and that pick becomes lottery protected.

Also, keep in mind, since the Flyers will give up so much to get them, they basically need to resign him which gives his agent a poopload of leverage.
- jmatchett383

I would fiddle with a package of B Schenn, Laughton, Hagg + a pick

I agree with your points JSAQ. I will check out that article. If the Bolts did decide to move Drouin now, would his stock be down? I mean if the Flyers could add him for a reasonable package you would have to consider it. His skill set really fills a Flyers weakness. Would Simmonds, Morin, and this years # 1 be a massive overpayment?
- PLindbergh31

I would think that is too much. I am not moving one of my top d prospects AND my number 1 this year.

It's going to be a tough deal to make because Lightneing need money to sign certain guys so taking on money in a deal will be tough unless it's money that comes off this offseason.

I agree with your points JSAQ. I will check out that article. If the Bolts did decide to move Drouin now, would his stock be down? I mean if the Flyers could add him for a reasonable package you would have to consider it. His skill set really fills a Flyers weakness. Would Simmonds, Morin, and this years # 1 be a massive overpayment?
- PLindbergh31

If it were me, I'd offer little more than the roster player (Simmonds or BSchenn), maybe a pick after the first round and/or a lesser prospect. Best case, other GMs are offput by the contorversy, and you capitalize on Yzerman trying to make his club better now. Worst case, he says no, and you've still got your prospects and the first rounder on what'll probably end up being a not-so-great season.

I would fiddle with a package of B Schenn, Laughton, Hagg.
- arichardson22

I think that's more in the ballpark. If they wanted more, the Flyers don't need Drouin. He's be nice to have, but I'm not depleting my future for him.

If it were me, I'd offer little more than the roster player (Simmonds or BSchenn), maybe a pick after the first round and/or a lesser prospect. Best case, other GMs are offput by the contorversy, and you capitalize on Yzerman trying to make his club better now. Worst case, he says no, and you've still got your prospects and the first rounder on what'll probably end up being a not-so-great season.
- BulliesPhan87

Yeah, it's a unique opportunity to land a great kid, but I'm not blowing any long-term plans up to get him, either.