Player Discussion Jonathan Drouin - Guy Laflamme edition

[CauZuki]

Continuing as other one was closed. (1000 post limit)

He's been great lately and I hope he figured out what it takes to be a succesful star in this league.

I found this interesting paragraph from Ducharme (a year ago , before he joined the Habs):

«La position naturelle de Jonathan est à l’aile, mais je crois qu’il peut aussi avoir du succès au centre. L’important pour lui, c’est qu’il doit être en possession de la rondelle le plus souvent possible et il doit être en mouvement (bouger ses pieds) pour être en mesure d’attaquer la zone offensive avec beaucoup de vitesse. Quand il joue de cette façon, c’est très difficile de l’affronter.»

Source: «J’ai toujours confiance en Jonathan Drouin» - Dominique Ducharme - TVA Sports

We can tell that Ducharme is having a positive influence on him , as this assesment is bang on.
Essentially he said about a year ago , that when Drouin keeps his feet moving and has the puck on his stick he becomes nearly unstoppable. I couldn't agree more , last year and to start this year at times we saw the talent but he wasn't moving , he was passive and didn't play a complete game. Now he is following Danault back into the defensive zone , always ready to get a loose puck and use his speed to enter the neutral zone and attack from there.

Click to read more...

 

[Saundies]

My Father, who is one of the bigger Drouin detractors I know, texted me last night and said "This Drouin is a star. Wow."

This is the first stretch of games I really finally see anything resembling a Kovalev comparison. Everyone kept saying it, but I wasn't sold. He hadn't shown me that extra gear that he could flip and take over a game singlehandedly like Kovy used to, until he did it in the last couple of games. It's honestly super refreshing.

I think that OT goal really woke him up and and made him think that he could be one of The Guys going forward. Hopefully he keeps this going, because we're going to need him if we want to make any sort of noise come April.

 

[Walrus26]

The battles JD needs to win are between his ears, not on the ice. His A game, like AK27 and AK46 before him, is an unstoppable force - he just needs to bring it a bit more often.

I don't expect him to be scoring 3PPG all the time - just a few more peaks and a few less troughs is all.

I don't get some of the hate on here for him. It's not like we're paying him franchise star money, after all.

 

[HOPE]

My Father, who is one of the bigger Drouin detractors I know, texted me last night and said "This Drouin is a star. Wow."

This is the first stretch of games I really finally see anything resembling a Kovalev comparison. Everyone kept saying it, but I wasn't sold. He hadn't shown me that extra gear that he could flip and take over a game singlehandedly like Kovy used to, until he did it in the last couple of games. It's honestly super refreshing.

I think that OT goal really woke him up and and made him think that he could be one of The Guys going forward. Hopefully he keeps this going, because we're going to need him if we want to make any sort of noise come April.

i hope your kovalev comparison is strictly with his game breaking abilities, because stylisticly talking they aren't remontely close to be alike. i have been saying since day one of this trade that we won and needed to be patient. the guy is still young, the raw skills were always there. he just needs to figure out what he needs to do, what he can and can't do in this league. The kid dominated every single league he was in, it's the first time he's against real adversity and isn't "the best" at the begining of the season i'm pretty sure i can find the post, i said he would do 65points-ish this season and would break out next year with a PPG. Drouin is a beast he just as a mehh and awkward attidude, but he'll mature! What was everyone doing in their life here at 20-23 year old?

 

[cphabs]

The battles JD needs to win are between his ears, not on the ice. His A game, like AK27 and AK46 before him, is an unstoppable force - he just needs to bring it a bit more often.

I don't expect him to be scoring 3PPG all the time - just a few more peaks and a few less troughs is all.

I don't get some of the hate on here for him. It's not like we're paying him franchise star money, after all.

IMO we gave up a future top pairing defenseman for a temperamental p***y that Steve Yserman was happy to get rid of. Here we are though! He was finishing checks and even chirped at a Jet player last night! Again, I think it is extremely important for him to feel belonged after Tampa, and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Who is Guy Laflamme?

 

[Beaker]

Max Domi was the best thing to happen to Jonathan Drouin. A young player of the exact same age, with equal talent, that underachieved with another team, who finds success in Montreal by using his speed. Jonathan Drouin is doing the same.

I like what I’m seeing from both of them and I hope they keep it up.

 

[G0bias]

Who is Guy Laflamme?

The guy who looks like Guy some nights and others like Laflamme.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Have trashed him lots this season for his effort on most nights but he’s played a few great games in a row now, hopefully he maintains this or at least finds this level more often

 

[Frank Drebin]

If you can't take him at his worst, you don't deserve him at his best.

When he's on, he's a top ten talent in the league. This kid will be Dynamite in the playoffs.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If you can't take him at his worst, you don't deserve him at his best.

When he's on, he's a top ten talent in the league. This kid will be Dynamite in the playoffs.

Or he just won't show up... You never know with this guy.

He's coming off his best game ever. Last night he showed that he can dominate the game. But he hasn't come close to showing any consistency.

At age 23 the light went on for Guy Lafleur. Suddenly he became... Lafleur. Best case scenario for us is that this is what happens to Drouin. If he suddenly puts it together then that would be a huge boost. And it's a very good idea to put him with Gallagher. Effort sometimes rubs off. Maybe that's what happened last night.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Or he just won't show up... You never know with this guy.

He's coming off his best game ever. Last night he showed that he can dominate the game. But he hasn't come close to showing any consistency.

At age 23 the light went on for Guy Lafleur. Suddenly he became... Lafleur. Best case scenario for us is that this is what happens to Drouin. If he suddenly puts it together then that would be a huge boost. And it's a very good idea to put him with Gallagher. Effort sometimes rubs off. Maybe that's what happened last night.

We heard the same thing when he was playing with Domi - that Max's work ethic was rubbing off on him - till it didn't anymore.

Drouin decides when the superstar shows up - no one else.

But we all can see the potential of the player now, and it's very exciting.

 

[OldCraig71]

Who is Guy Laflamme?

The guy that wore Drouins jersey last night.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Or he just won't show up... You never know with this guy.

He's coming off his best game ever. Last night he showed that he can dominate the game. But he hasn't come close to showing any consistency.

At age 23 the light went on for Guy Lafleur. Suddenly he became... Lafleur. Best case scenario for us is that this is what happens to Drouin. If he suddenly puts it together then that would be a huge boost. And it's a very good idea to put him with Gallagher. Effort sometimes rubs off. Maybe that's what happened last night.

Interesting note about lafleur. Didn't realize he took 3 seasons to break out.

Went from about a .8ppg player in his first three seasons to about 1.6ppg in his 4th.

Or, from highs of 29g and 64pts, to 50g and 119pts, in 70 games.

 

[OldCraig71]

Have trashed him lots this season for his effort on most nights but he’s played a few great games in a row now, hopefully he maintains this or at least finds this level more often

No one has trashed him more than I have and I don't feel bad about it at all. I would never be critical of the type of performance I saw from him last night, he was a gamebreaker and many of the posters in the GDT were blown away by him including me. We need him to keep playing like that for the rest of the season and if he does I will gladly eat some crow.

 

[Habaneros]

My hope is Ducharme doesn't get an offer from Colorado to head coach Nate Mac,who also thinks the world of Dom Ducharme..after the last Habs Avs games Nate Mac said he is the type of coach you love to play for ...(and he did say he loves playing in Montreal )..lol 4 more years Nate...come play for Dom in Montreal ..and with your old pal JD....it would be absolute ELECTRIC to see you all back together again....

 

[koyvoo]

I can only hope JD can continue his ascension, continue his development, continue to work on his flaws.

What else would I do, wish for him to fail? How silly would that be?

 

[Habaneros]

I can only hope JD can continue his ascension, continue his development, continue to work on his flaws.

What else would I do, wish for him to fail? How silly would that be?

Look at the points total for Nate Mac.....in his first 4 yrs he had many questioning his game..then boom...4 full seasons then boom....JD doesn't have 4 full seasons yet(296 games)....the fuse is lit

CLICK HERE>Nathan MacKinnon Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

 

[Legend123]

This season's progression of Drouin can very well be the start of him finally breaking out as the superstar he was supposed to be when he was drafted by the Bolts. Here's hoping to that!

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Interesting note about lafleur. Didn't realize he took 3 seasons to break out.

Went from about a .8ppg player in his first three seasons to about 1.6ppg in his 4th.

Or, from highs of 29g and 64pts, to 50g and 119pts, in 70 games.

Lafleur is a good example of a player who suddendly explosed at a exact age of 25. Danault is another player getting his top level at the age of 25 or 26. So I expect Drouin to get even better or stay constent, but let's not "over expect" like a new Lafleur, lol.

 

[Born in 1909]

The good Drouin is very impressive...

Let's see if that player starts showing up more often now.

Hope so!

 

[Runner77]

Guy Laflamme edition

Just wondering how "Guy" got in there. Thought the fictional character was named "Xavier".

 

[Perrah]

If you can't take him at his worst, you don't deserve him at his best.

When he's on, he's a top ten talent in the league. This kid will be Dynamite in the playoffs.

I would like to know where this saying originated. I assume it wasnt for skilled players not giving effort all the time, or for crazy women on facebook.

 

[CauZuki]

Just wondering how "Guy" got in there. Thought the fictional character was named "Xavier".

Some call him Guy Lafleur , some Xavier Laflamme , he gets a bit of both at the moment .

 

[Perrah]

Really? You think that a player playing somewhere he is not at ease won't have any effect on his performance? Ok guys, following this logic, why are we looking for a LHD?? Let's get any RHD out there that is good and play him beside Weber, geez, why the hassle about this??

It might affect his numbers but it shouldnt change his effort level. Drouin moped around the ice last season, that is all on him. If you want to ignore all that go for it.