Injury Report: Adam Erne hit on Jonathan Drouin | Drouin out with a mild concussion

[HoseEmDown]

Drouin scores 2 vs. Swiss.

Something interesting: It looks like Drouin is a full time center now. He was shifted from left wing to center for this game, and in a post-game interview he said he prefers center now and can generate more speed from there.

I expect him to start on the wing next season in Tampa, unless we move Filppula to wing but I'd like to see how he does in preseason first.

If he does move to center I'd expect Purcell to move up to first line LW, Kucherov to 2nd line RW, gun line back together and Malone on the 4th line if he comes back. We are thin ar the LW position in the organization now too.

 

[MattM92]

I expect him to start on the wing next season in Tampa, unless we move Filppula to wing but I'd like to see how he does in preseason first.

If he does move to center I'd expect Purcell to move up to first line LW, Kucherov to 2nd line RW, gun line back together and Malone on the 4th line if he comes back. We are thin ar the LW position in the organization now too.

If he's able to excel at C at the NHL level, we may see Stamkos shift to the wing in a year or two. I think he'd be better suited there anyway.

 

[Tampa Bay Kiwi]

Drouin scores 2 vs. Swiss.

Something interesting: It looks like Drouin is a full time center now. He was shifted from left wing to center for this game, and in a post-game interview he said he prefers center now and can generate more speed from there.

If he is going to play on a line with Stammer who would you guys prefer to be center? I think i'd rather Stammer become a wing to be honest.

 

[FDfranklin]

If he is going to play on a line with Stammer who would you guys prefer to be center? I think i'd rather Stammer become a wing to be honest.

I thought it was said Drouin would be centering for Stamkos.

 

[DFC]

I don't think there's a clear plan. Yzerman stated bluntly, however, that he would prefer Drouin to play center for TBL. He does look like the prototypical center to me. Moreso than Stamkos, although Stamkos makes for a pretty unique center (high-flying goal-scorers tend to be wingers).

My guess is they'll consider it a good problem to have if they wind up with 3 top-6 centers. And all 3 are adept at playing the wing.

Another observation from today's pre-WJC game: Drouin didn't dominate like we've seen him in recently televised games, but there were some little things that really stood out to me. One is, this kid is really tenacious in puck-battles, which bodes well for an undersized player. He'll get into the corner and really fight for it, and that seems extra true if he's the one who originally lost it. I guess that's something I've always noticed, but it's always been overshadowed by his flashier skills.

 

[Tampa Bay Kiwi]

I thought it was said Drouin would be centering for Stamkos.

I'm not sure if anyone said that, but they did say they would prefer Drouin playing center. If you read between the lines I guess it means that they would like him centering Stammer.

I don't think there's a clear plan. Yzerman stated bluntly, however, that he would prefer Drouin to play center for TBL. He does look like the prototypical center to me. Moreso than Stamkos, although Stamkos makes for a pretty unique center (high-flying goal-scorers tend to be wingers).

My guess is they'll consider it a good problem to have if they wind up with 3 top-6 centers. And all 3 are adept at playing the wing.

Another observation from today's pre-WJC game: Drouin didn't dominate like we've seen him in recently televised games, but there were some little things that really stood out to me. One is, this kid is really tenacious in puck-battles, which bodes well for an undersized player. He'll get into the corner and really fight for it, and that seems extra true if he's the one who originally lost it. I guess that's something I've always noticed, but it's always been overshadowed by his flashier skills.

We have many good problems arising, gotta love it eh.

Drouin has some similarities to Giroux, the Giroux-Stamkos combo in the World Championship was apparently quite amazing. Maybe we could replicate that with Drouin Stamkos (Giroux was center of course).