He has 40 points in 89 career games, a grand total of 6 goals. Get out of here with he's proven to be NHL quality. In 19 games this year he has 8 points.
- tomburton99

But, but, he was drafted 3rd overall! He scored a million points in the Q!

He's a top six forward that doesn't score and a poor defender that can't play down in the lineup on a very good team. Maybe he could try playing better? Just a thought.

The NHL - and its fans - don't respect anyone who has a different opinion about anything. I won't be arguing this with people all day long. I just suggest that people be open minded and think about why Drouin is such a bad guy, but it's OK for Yzerman to act like he's five and ruin his career until he's 26. (I saw many people suggest he should).

You don't have agree with me, but I laid out my reasons, so saying that I'm just saying this just to say it is offensive.
- James_Tanner

Who said Drouin was a bad guy? The fans, that are criticizing Drouin, are criticizing him for being unproferssional. No showing for a game is unprofessional and then taking to social media, about it, only comes off like a child.

Nobody is calling him a bad person; just completely self centered.

The NHL - and its fans - don't respect anyone who has a different opinion about anything. I won't be arguing this with people all day long. I just suggest that people be open minded and think about why Drouin is such a bad guy, but it's OK for Yzerman to act like he's five and ruin his career until he's 26. (I saw many people suggest he should).

You don't have agree with me, but I laid out my reasons, so saying that I'm just saying this just to say it is offensive.
- James_Tanner

Just sayin that I don't think Drouin is such a bad guy. Just a poot situation. I do not agree what so ever with people saying Yzerman should ruin his career. I just think both sides of this are being blown way out of proportion.

The Lightning organization are doing what they think is best for the organization. One player, no matter how talented, is not going run amok and do whatever he thinks is best for himself to spite the team that he is employed by.

He's going rogue and that is not good for business when he still has so much to prove, at the level, he's been striving to reach since he first laced up a pair of skates.
- MidnightMarauder

I respect Stevie Y for trying to milk the system by controlling his player through his contract status. That didn't work and he now has a disgruntled employee. Stevie Y needs to deal with it.

poop happens.

The Lightning want more obviously. They have a system, that system works fairly well and it would seem Drouin could not consistently find a place in said system despite being a tremendous possession player and terrific set up man. So he gets sent down to the minors, pouts about it, then proceeds to put below average #'s for a player of his caliber. All of this while still on an entry level deal and demanding a trade ASAP. I just don't see how the lighting are being immature. Yzerman knows what he's got in Drouin and he obviously does not want to risk losing a potential star player for years to come for rentals/poor returns.
- Mordecai

They are a competing team alienating an all-star quality player on a minimum contract while trying to compete in a salary cap world. If they aren't being spiteful, they they're morons.

I don't necessarily agree that Drouin is proven nor that holding out is best for anyone involved but I do like your writing as usual.

Walsh is up to his usual tactics here and is the real greedy SOB IMHO.

He has not proved he is NHL quality until the coach says he is.

To be 'proven' in the NHL, it takes more than one and a half seasons. The NHL is littered with former players who had a couple good seasons before they fizzled out. Tampa sees major weaknesses in the defensive side of his game and they sent him down to work on it.

Perfect comparison. Mika Zibanejad in Ottawa. He had 33pts, including 16 goals, in 69 games with Ottawa in his first full season. That's 2nd line center stats right there..

What did the Sens do? They started him in the minors the following year. According to you, he was a 'proven' NHL player and should have sat out and demanded a trade, right?

What did Mika do? Took his medicine, and dominated the AHL so that the Sens had no choice but to bring him back up.

I'm sure there are countless examples of this happening in the NHL.

According to your theory, Tampa is doing this just to screw Drouin. Please, explain to me, why Tampa and Yzerman would want to make their own team worse in the long run just to screw the kid over?
- Charliebox

Sorry, but if you post better possessin metrics relative to your team, and that team is already a good possession team, you do not have defensive issues.

As I said, Mika dominated the AHL and was brought back up.

What did Drouin do? 3pts and a -1 in 7 games.

Hardly looking like a kid who is really trying all that hard to dominate.

So what is Tampa supposed to do? Reward the kid for sucking ass in the minors and crying about being sent down?

James:
I support Drouin also but believe he made a career mistake by his decision to not play any further games for Syracuse.

I had my laugh of the morning when I read your article that NHL owners "exploit" their players even if they do earn at minimum ~$600k per season and have an union plus CBA to protect their rights. Most people view this "exploitation" as a fair trade of skills for money to play a game they love. It isn't the 1950s and 1960s before players had a players association.

Get off your NDP or Marxist Leninist soapbox and rejoin the real world!

They are a competing team alienating an all-star quality player on a minimum contract while trying to compete in a salary cap world. If they aren't being spiteful, they they're morons.
- James_Tanner

All Star in the QMJHL. Let's give it some context. He's closer to Alexander Daigle now than he is to Nathan Mackinnon. You're such a baiter. Grade A troll

I support Drouin as well. But not for any of the reasons you give.

1. Its not relevant who owners are. That wipes out half the article.
2. He has to make it on merit. BUT perhaps the powers that be are not using him right.
3. This is months in the making. And there have been multiple issues with TB in recent years.
4. A side note is Stamkos. Wonder what affect this might have.

Do you really think Walsh made this move without having a plan B in his pocket. He's a a lawyer he has several other plans. Scratch that - lets call it plan Radulov. I'm certain Drouin has considered this. Hell 3 months in the KHL would be several Millions. If he signs there TB will get no trade bate for this years playoff.

So who has more to loose at this point. TB
- akermack

I agree who the owner is is irrelevent. I am only attempting to draw a comparison because everyone is judging Drouin on a moral basis despite the fact that he play for the NHL and a hedgefun manager. Then they suggest Yzerman act like a four year old.

I am only pointing out the irony. But that isn't a reason to support him. That is what follows.

Sorry, but if you post better possessin metrics relative to your team, and that team is already a good possession team, you do not have defensive issues.
- James_Tanner

Ok you stick with your advanced stats..

He's played a season an a half and is a winger. Advanced stats on wingers over such a small sample size doesn't mean crap compared to the eye test from actual ex nhl players and coaches.

Also, do you know what his attitude is? Do you know how good of shape he keeps himself in? Do you know what his personal life is like?

If he had issues in any of those areas, do you think Tampa would be stupid enough to broadcast that to the entire league? Honestly, think about it.

When they send him to the minors to punish him they have to say something, but if they bring up any of those other issues they diminish his trade value.. so they point to his defensive game.

But, but, he was drafted 3rd overall! He scored a million points in the Q!

He's a top six forward that doesn't score and a poor defender that can't play down in the lineup on a very good team. Maybe he could try playing better? Just a thought.
- Davewn

100% inaccurate.

You can't dismiss his obligations by saying "So sure, he signed a contract, but..."
Do you even know what a contract is? A contract is the legal definition for what each side must provide. Drouin pledged his services. The Lightning have obligations as to how they can use him. The Lightning have not violated that contract, and they continued to pay according to their obligations until Drouin and Walsh stopped fulfilling theirs.

This is really pretty simple:
1. The Lightning have all the legal rights here. If they didn't, Walsh and Drouin would sue.

2. Walsh and Drouin are trying to force their way out of their contract without breaking the law. They are willing to take the medicine, which is their choice, but it isn't right.

3. I find that I disagree with everything you EVER write.

100% inaccurate.
- James_Tanner

In 9 AHL games he has 6 points. 100% accurate.

Sorry, but if you post better possessin metrics relative to your team, and that team is already a good possession team, you do not have defensive issues.
- James_Tanner

You don't make a roster simply b/c of "metrics". Cooper, for what ever reason didn't see him as a dependable player during the course of this year. Their are plenty of players who are NHL "ready" who haven't rounded out their "complete" game enough to stay in the lineup.

You might disagree w/ the coach's assessment, but that doesn't change the fact that the organization didn't like his game as of late

James:
I support Drouin also but believe he made a career mistake by his decision to not play any further games for Syracuse.

I had my laugh of the morning when I read your article that NHL owners "exploit" their players even if they do earn at minimum ~$600k per season and have an union plus CBA to protect their rights. Most people view this "exploitation" as a fair trade of skills for money to play a game they love. It isn't the 1950s and 1960s before players had a players association.

Get off your NDP or Marxist Leninist soapbox and rejoin the real world!
- Leafsandbolts

Hey, I know they make a ton of money, but in proportion to what others make off of their talent, it is exploitation.

Kerby Rychel for Jonathan Drouin???

http://my.hockeybuzz.com/...r_id=256974&post_id=17204

I don't necessarily agree that Drouin is proven nor that holding out is best for anyone involved but I do like your writing as usual.

Walsh is up to his usual tactics here and is the real greedy SOB IMHO.
- coffee junkie

Thanks man.

You claim you aren't judging the Lightning's owner and then spend much of your rambling post judging him. Go back and read what you wrote with an objective eye and you'll see what I mean.

Further, I think the word you were looking for was "past", as in at age 26 he would be past his prime, not "passed". Which is a far fetched statement regardless, improper word usage notwithstanding.

Also, lose the goofy videos which I assume you include to try to prove your points.

Yes, you're right ... you got the reaction you wanted ... hits.

I may have missed it, but I didn't see much mention of Drouin's agent's role in this, an agent who has a history of confrontation with teams. I certainly hope you don't think Walsh is an innocent bystander in all this. No need to answer, it really doesn't matter.

Hey, I know they make a ton of money, but in proportion to what others make off of their talent, it is exploitation.
- James_Tanner

They do play in a free market right? The KHL offers tax free contracts right? So they are not forced to go to the NHL. Again, just baiting.

They are a competing team alienating an all-star quality player on a minimum contract while trying to compete in a salary cap world. If they aren't being spiteful, they they're morons.
- James_Tanner

I don't know man, not even a year ago Yzerman and his staff assembled/coached their team to the Stanley Cup final. I totally get that Drouin belongs in the NHL but in order to force the Lightning's hand he's going to have to be dominant at least at the AHL level. Sucks but Yzerman is being fairly clear.

You couldn't be more wrong. He played SEVEN games in the AHL. He's played a total of NINE games in the AHL in his career.

Let's say that Tampa, instead of rushing him into the league in the first place, put him in the AHL for a full season. Would you be pissed off about that? I am assuming not because that is the natural progression of NHL players. If he played that full season in the AHL prior to joining the big club, he's have far less $$ in his pocket and no one would be talking about rich owners.. so your point on that holds zero merit.

Ya know what.. if Tampa kept him in the minors all year, and didn't find a trade for him this summer, THEN I, and I'm sure many others, would agree with you.

Thing is, he was in the minors for seven damn games. Seven.

He's a spoiled brat getting horrible advice from an agent.
- Charliebox

Indeed a year in the AHL would have been great for the kid's development. But, and to a part of Tanner's point, due to the Indentured Servitude Clause (an agreement between the NHL and CHL) that any player drafted out of the CHL can not play in the AHL until his 20th birthday. He can play in the NHL before he's 20 but not the AHL.

So as a 19 year old with nothing left to prove he had to go back to the QMJHL as the 3rd overall NHL pick, instead of the AHL (Indentured Servitude Clause) and stunt his development for a full year. .........Yep I agree Drouin should have been in the AHL, but as a 19 year old.

This is the kind of reaction I expected. But its based on a false premise. He already proved he is NHL quality. The Lightning are acting like immature babies. It's his only move. I find the judgement so sad - just think about it for a bit.
- James_Tanner

He has proved NHL quality? How? I've been to every game he has played at home in the Lightning uniform. Last year he had 28 assists, 12 of them were 2nd assists and 2nd assists in the NHL are given very leniently. He turns the puck over more than most of the Lightning 3rd and 4th line guys. He has about 4 goals in the NHL, plays very poor defense so I am very curious as to how he has proven his NHL quality.

You can't dismiss his obligations by saying "So sure, he signed a contract, but..."
Do you even know what a contract is? A contract is the legal definition for what each side must provide. Drouin pledged his services. The Lightning have obligations as to how they can use him. The Lightning have not violated that contract, and they continued to pay according to their obligations until Drouin and Walsh stopped fulfilling theirs.

This is really pretty simple:
1. The Lightning have all the legal rights here. If they didn't, Walsh and Drouin would sue.

2. Walsh and Drouin are trying to force their way out of their contract without breaking the law. They are willing to take the medicine, which is their choice, but it isn't right.

3. I find that I disagree with everything you EVER write.
- jam10sugar

Hi Jam,

I think you have your facts right here but in a contract there are penalties. Which TB is exercising. If the those penalties are acceptable then Drouin takes those penalties and he moves on. So TB is within the law and the penalty is Drouin remain the property of TB and can't play in the NHL.

Drouin has said OK I agreed. Goodbye. Contract satisfied. Drouin looses a little (no NHL - but wasn't going to play there anytime soon anyways), TB looses a lot (top 3 talent).