Is it time to admit Drouin is a bust ?

[The90]

This is the problem with montreal. Bergevin talks about attitude and character then goes out and trades for a guy who quit on his team cause he didn't want to earn his ice time. If his name was Mike Smith from Saskatchewan no way bergevin would have made that deal.

Easy. I got burned at the stake for suggesting this on the Montreal board. 100% correct though. French players > Anyone in Montreal

 

[The90]

Not a bust. Just a fact that people here will give players with slick hands way more credit than they deserve because they look exciting. They ignore the fact that Drouin was godawful at backchecking in junior, was consistently outplayed by Ehlers on a nightly basis, and repeatedly skated 1-on-1 only to lose the puck and have an odd man opportunity go the other way. He's still good, but it's his lack of a brain that holds him back. He'd be lethal if he could accept reality and play for his team instead of the scoresheet

I saw him play one single game in junior. I picked that out after his first shift. He was so much more skilled than everyone else he got away with it. Too bad he’s not in the metro centre anymore huh.

I don’t think it’s hockey iq. I think it’s drive, arrogance and laziness. His potential is the moon. He just doesn’t want to work to get there

 

[Space Coyote]

Anyone remember this poll? Some really good hot takes.

Drouin vs Marner

 

[HabsCowboysOwn]

Anyone remember this poll? Some really good hot takes.

Drouin vs Marner

Wow, that’s painful to read.

Pure gems can be found in these old threads that’s for sure.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

I would trade Nuge for Drouin.

Nope.

Maybe Lucic.

Edmonton will take him

Nope we wont.

We dont want 2 Lucic type players on this team.



I watch the Habs a lot. Drouin is the worst NHL player I've seen down the stretch. Lucic at least hits, and has more points.

Maybe we can trade him to Edmonton, there's still hope . McDavid needs a winger!

No.

 

[Stickpucker]

Kid has no pride

 

[goonybird]

I saw him play one single game in junior. I picked that out after his first shift. He was so much more skilled than everyone else he got away with it. Too bad he’s not in the metro centre anymore huh.

I don’t think it’s hockey iq. I think it’s drive, arrogance and laziness. His potential is the moon. He just doesn’t want to work to get there

Agreed. He just hasn't figured out how much work it is to play to his potential because he can get by with 50 pts putting in little effort. Also the fit with Julien is non-existent, but someone could've told you that before the trade was made you'd think.

 

[Human]

He looked amazing against the Penguins in that 2016 ECF...

 

[Montrealer]

One of the most frustrating players I've ever seen.

Great tools. Little NHL-level hockey sense. He often tries to do too much or panics and sheds the puck like he's trying to get away with shoplifting it. And when he gets to into a funk it's legendary in its depth and length.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

Scott Glennie was a bust. Drouin is a decent but flawed NHL player.

 

[optimus2861]

I saw him play one single game in junior. I picked that out after his first shift. He was so much more skilled than everyone else he got away with it. Too bad he’s not in the metro centre anymore huh.

I don’t think it’s hockey iq. I think it’s drive, arrogance and laziness. His potential is the moon. He just doesn’t want to work to get there

Pretty much, yeah. I didn't really pick up on it until his draft+1 year when MacKinnon was no longer there to be the top guy. Drouin that year was a lazy, entitled, player who was vastly more talented than his opponents most nights, so he racked up tons of points even while his play never screamed, "Yeah, that's a future top-line NHL player."

Yzerman was extremely shrewd to unload him when he did, to whom he did, and for whom he did.

 

[Gaud]

I saw him play one single game in junior. I picked that out after his first shift. He was so much more skilled than everyone else he got away with it. Too bad he’s not in the metro centre anymore huh.

I don’t think it’s hockey iq. I think it’s drive, arrogance and laziness. His potential is the moon. He just doesn’t want to work to get there

I think it is more than that.. Ever been good at something to the point that it's never a challenge to you? The kid's been more talented than practically everyone he's played against since the age of 5 (before NHL of course). Eventually you get to a point that you've had very little need or practice at turning on the 110% switch. You see flashes of it sometimes, but it happens in weird fails. Like he will take the puck from his blueline, use his speed and hands to get past 2 guys and then end up in the other zone before realizing he is alone against 3. Or the other day when he actually battled up and down the ramp - and won his battle - only to pass the puck down the ramp to a corner where there is no player.

It's like if he doesn't know how to spend his "110% " energy. I think he needs the right kind of tutelage and direction from some veterans.
I would never call a 50pt player a bust tho

 

[Fixxer]

Edmonton should try to buy low on him. I think he could look great on McDavid’s wing.

He’s definitely not a bust though lol. In what world is 50 points is a bust? He’s at least better than half the forwards in this league.

Kucherov had good words for Drouin. He was even wondering how come he did not play on the same line with him much often.

 

[BennetAintInit]

the longer the tresses, the closer to bust he edges.

 

[Fixxer]

I wonder if that one year at center didn't "harm" him. The organisation told the fans that it was going to be an extra thing for him on his "skill set", that it was good for him. Really, maybe he's more confused than ever.
Played C last year. Played on the wing with early success this year. Then focused on the defensive side of the play and lost his offense too. He is not a great defensive player and he is not great offensively. Well... he has many flaws to his offensive game, the #1 being to turn over the puck so often!!!

 

[The90]

Pretty much, yeah. I didn't really pick up on it until his draft+1 year when MacKinnon was no longer there to be the top guy. Drouin that year was a lazy, entitled, player who was vastly more talented than his opponents most nights, so he racked up tons of points even while his play never screamed, "Yeah, that's a future top-line NHL player."

Yzerman was extremely shrewd to unload him when he did, to whom he did, and for whom he did.

I saw him the year after mackinnon left. Exactly bang on to what I thought. Literally a strutting stride lol a magician with the puck on his stick though

 

[Jarey Curry]

He can play in the league and he'll stick around but he won't ever be the impact franchise player people thought he might be. 'Disappointment' is probably a better way to put it.

Why ever though? In the current situation it seems but an NHL career is a long time for this guy

 

[ijuka]

I think it is more than that.. Ever been good at something to the point that it's never a challenge to you? The kid's been more talented than practically everyone he's played against since the age of 5 (before NHL of course). Eventually you get to a point that you've had very little need or practice at turning on the 110% switch

I wonder how his development would have been if he got constantly challenged, like for instance if he instead developed in Sweden and was playing in SHL at the age of 16 or something, where it's no way that he could have had a decent performance without putting in a 100% effort.

 

[thadd]

No.
Yakupov is a bust.
He can't make it in the NHL.
Drouin is a disappointment. We were thinking he'd have 35/35 upside but in fact we'll be lucky to see 60 points out of him unless he's playing with Crosby or McDavid.
I'd still take him on my team but I'm probably not cool with paying the price Montreal fans are hoping to get for him.

 

[OB34KNH]

Oilers should trade for Drouin. He's a real good scorer, and, McDavid could bring him to the next level!

Drouin played with Nate McKinnon in junior,
Drouin is a true-scoring winger i.e. Phil Kessel lite, McDavid could turn him into an 80 point player.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Oilers should trade for Drouin. He's a real good scorer, and, McDavid could bring him to the next level!

Drouin played with Nate McKinnon in junior,
Drouin is a true-scoring winger i.e. Phil Kessel lite, McDavid could turn him into an 80 point player.

The guys that work the best with McDavid, are the guys who hustle, grind, and create space - NOTHING like Drouin.

Drouin is probably the laziest NHLer I have seen his last 20+ games. He should have been scratched on several occasions.

His play down the stretch was an absolute embarassment. I'm not a die-hard Hab fan, but I do catch a lot of games, and I would single handedly pin missing the playoffs on his disappearing act.



If the sulking continues into next season, you could compare him to Gomez or Lucic as a salary albatross for a borderline NHLer.


The sad part is, he has the skill, he just had absolutely ZERO will.

 

[Halakitlikethat]

It's almost like people have different opinions on the matter and yours isn't the only correct one.

Nah, 50 point players aren’t busts .

 

[4chandler]

One of the most respected scouting staffs in the NHL did too. Should we laugh about all the people Bennett was supposed to be better than?

With all due respect, you're a great poster, yes that staff deserves to be ridiculed when Seth Jones fell in their lap and they took a scoring winger from the Q. That was amateur hour.

 

[93LEAFS]

With all due respect, you're a great poster, yes that staff deserves to be ridiculed when Seth Jones fell in their lap and they took a scoring winger from the Q. That was amateur hour.

Thanks, for the praise.

I would say, I found that surprising at the time too (combo of not knowing what they had in Kucherov, and trying to find the next MSL for Stamkos). But, even still, Drouin over Monahan would have been a lock with most teams unless they pulled a really big shock move. It more just shows the unreliability of projecting 17 and 18-year-olds even among some of the better scouting organization. Florida pulled the shock move that draft really, and it has paid off well for them.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

With all due respect, you're a great poster, yes that staff deserves to be ridiculed when Seth Jones fell in their lap and they took a scoring winger from the Q. That was amateur hour.

If he was Huberdeau right now would we be saying this? I saw this because they were similar players in the Q in terms of pro upside but Drouin was the more skilled of the two quite easily.

Hindsight is 20/20 and a player of Drouins skill level at 3rd overall seemed unfair at the time.