Being a Tampa season ticket holder... You notice Drouin when hes in the lineup significantly.
Tampa has a lot of good young players, but they play a more north south game and are not really that great at creating plays.
They are lucky they have Filpula to be honest, he creates a lot of plays in the offensive zone for them. Stamkos himself does not create much either. He receives the puck and shoots it, and is good at getting open. Lately Stamkos seems a little hockey dumb if you ask me, and he misses St. Louis badly.
You can see Drouin's IQ when hes on the ice, and hes not bad defensively. He does try a little too hard sometimes, but it's obvious as to why.
That team plays a possession game, but any time they have to be in the offensive zone for something more than a rush they just cycle the puck around. I've seen them play in the offensive zone for a full minute without ever coming close to getting a shot on net, and this happens frequently. 95% of the chances Tampa creates are off the rush.
Tampa needs Drouin style of play badly IMO, from a fans perspective the way Cooper has handled Drouin is dumb as hell. Other players with far less talent have gotten way more leash than him, and the kid is smart enough to see it.
The kid has had some rough games, but hes not even being promoted and demoted within the lineup. Hes being yanked in and out of the lineup, and obviously back and fourth from the farm. Oh and he'll play 7 minutes one period, play well, then play zero minutes in the second, and three minutes in the third. I've literally enjoyed him on the ice the first period, and then practically never seen him play again the rest of the game.
It's difficult for these guys who come into a team that has such high expectations. I think Tampa is like Boston, they have their identity and anyone who comes in that does not fit immediately does not get much of a chance due to them expected to compete.
I just don't want people thinking Drouin is a spoiled brat, because the kid has been easily good enough to play in their top 9, and sometimes their top 6 consistently. Anyone would be frustrated with how hes been handled IMO. Hes been patient enough, and it's not hard to see why he'd feel like hes not going to prove himself to a coach who has made up his mind about him.