Player Discussion Jonathan Drouin - Invisible Man Edition

[Fixxer]

Praise the guy for not being a liability on the ice for one game.

This is where expectations are?

He's learning how to play good without the puck.
He's been so good at it that he hasn't recorded any points in most of his last games...

 

[Rosso Scuderia]

Drouin played 15 games in the whole month of march. He was held pointless in 14 of them.

But thanks for your effort last game. You worked almost as hard as the rest of your teammates for once.

He might get a shot at the Molson cup for march.

 

[Fixxer]

But seriously, he hasn't really learned the defensive game.
Didn't go in the AHL for long...
Maybe he's learning to play the right way, then the points will come back??

 

[CheldishGamibno]

But seriously, he hasn't really learned the defensive game.
Didn't go in the AHL for long...
Maybe he's learning to play the right way, then the points will come back??

Could be, people are fast on the trigger here. I'd wait to see how he plays next year. If he still plays like shit next year, I'd be 100% down on trading him.

 

[CalgarySnow]

Could be, people are fast on the trigger here. I'd wait to see how he plays next year. If he still plays like **** next year, I'd be 100% down on trading him.

Wow his game hasn’t changed since juniors, he’s played nearly 5 seasons in the NHL, he’s pretty much 2 seasons in with the Habs and you want another season before you decide? It’s not like he’s a rookie like KK. He just thinks he’s better than everyone else and doesn’t need to work at his game. Yes he had a better game last night not that’s saying much (our expectations are low on him so some people think he did really well IMO he played how he should every game but was unlucky points wise). I obviously have higher expectations of players being paid that much.q

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Drouin played 15 games in the whole month of march. He was held pointless in 14 of them.

But thanks for your effort last game. You worked almost as hard as the rest of your teammates for once.

He might get a shot at the Molson cup for march.

When you start hailing intangibles....that forward shows characteristics of a grinder, not the peers at the top of his class. If Goku is top dog, Vegeta is the flashy and competent fighter who can never catch up. That's Drouin. Big Ego and doing something to show off only to get humiliated(think getting destroyed by Perfect Cell). Marchessault has eclipsed him and reaching Patrick Kane's level is a pipe dream.

 

[Rosso Scuderia]

When you start hailing intangibles....that forward shows characteristics of a grinder, not the peers at the top of his class. If Goku is top dog, Vegeta is the flashy and competent fighter who can never catch up. That's Drouin. Big Ego and doing something to show off only to get humiliated(think getting destroyed by Perfect Cell). Marchessault has eclipsed him and reaching Patrick Kane's level is a pipe dream.

Lol

And Drouin's level of usefulness in the last month is comparable to Yamcha's.

 

[Kriss E]

Could be, people are fast on the trigger here. I'd wait to see how he plays next year. If he still plays like **** next year, I'd be 100% down on trading him.

People are not optimistic about this because that's been his reputation since the juniors. It's how he played in TB but unlike us, they had enough depth to sit his ass out of the line up. That didn't sit well with him, so he even refused to report to the AHL club. That's just who he is. Just like Evander Kane wasn't going to become Mr. Mature no matter where he goes. Doesn't mean he can't be useful.
Jo Drouin can still be useful, he's just not meant to be one of your top guys.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Lol

And Drouin's level of usefulness in the last month is comparable to Yamcha's.

Vegeta only pushed himself because Goku was better, which led to a wounded ego. Imagine a Vegeta who never met Goku. Cocky but with no drive because he thinks he's already top dog (or that Freiza is just too much to even bother)
It's not a contract year for Drouin, so he won't work hard. But when that turns around, he'll probably pull a 1PPG season but then flop after his payday.

Marchessault was a undrafted free agent. Drouin a 3rd overall pick. Goku was a low class Saiyan. Vegeta was of royal blood
Marchessault gets called up instead of Drouin. Drouin pouts and throws a fit. The events that led to Jonathan Drouin's trade request - TheHockeyNews
Drouin does well in the playoffs, but hindsight shows that he wanted a carrot at the time, because he doesn't play like that in a state of complacency, which Marc Bergevin quickly gave to him upon arrival in Montreal.

3. Drouin was scratched during the playoffs in favor of ‘black ace’ Jonathan Marchessault.
Marchessault, a black ace, was up with the Lightning during their second-round series with the Montreal Canadiens because Syracuse, Tampa’s farm team, was eliminated from the playoffs. Cooper went with Marchessault, who had two NHL games to his name, instead of Drouin when Ryan Callahan required an emergency appendectomy. Marchessault had enjoyed a strong AHL year, but sitting a player of Drouin’s talent level for a big Game 6 matchup was a shock.

2016-2017. Marchesaault leaves Tampa and posts a 30 goal season while getting to play with the legendary Jagr along with Florida's top liners. Drouin posts 21 goals and 33 assists on a stacked team.

2017-2018. Marchessault lands in Vegas and helps lead an expansion team to the Cup Finals with a stupendous 75 point season with the sleeper 1C William Karlsson and forever average Florida teammate Reilly Smith as his linemates. Drouin lands in Montreal at the expense of a 1D prospect for Montreal, a minor loss since Montreal has an extraordinary track record of drafting Dmen to trade away to other teams to help them contend for the Cup. Drouin is thrown into the center role and shows that not only is he unfit as a center, he leaks goals against more than an incontinent senior citizen defensively. Montreal has a disaster and sucks bad enough to draft THE REAL CENTER Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

2018-2019. Marchessault's production drops but still currently has 57 pts, which is still superior to Drouin's career high. Drouin started off like he would break 60 points, but an epic cold streak rivaling that of Andrei Kostitsyn prior to being traded to Nashville materialized down the stretch as the Habs were playing a playoff run. Drouin joins Jeff Skinner in being forwards in 2018-2019 who started off like they would hit career highs but brutally regressed to the mean.

Marchessault has had more or superior accomplishments than Drouin in every facet of hockey and personally has outperformed Drouin every year. Hell, Marchessault has already married and Drouin is still a bachelor. Even in terms of mate value, Marchessault is the better conqueror.


Goku Black said it best. Vegeta(Drouin) is just an appetizer. To a casual, he can be used to show what skilled players can do. But for a skill player who CONSTANTLY AWES, he falls way short. He can't even beat Marchessault, much less elite wingers like Patrick Kane, who is the gold standard of wingers in this league.

 

[Ezpz]

Drouin is more like Piccolo or Majin Buu. He's fallen into obscurity as a bit player. He's shown he can't keep up with the God forms and be a top guy.

 

[Megaforce]

Drouin set up two goals last game for god's sake and was the most creative player on the ice. Seriously man. Watch the actual games, build an actual informed viewpoint, don't be a sheep in the haters herd.

 

[malton]

What? He played top line minutes and has 1st unit PP time and you have the audacity to say he's not put in a position to succeed. What do you want? The opposing team to pull their goalie every time Drouin steps on the ice? Jeeze.

He was producing at a .72 ppg before he was dropped down in the line up. It's not as drastic as people make it out to be. Let him play through it. After all this is supposed to be a transition year.

 

[kgboomer]

A true superstar, he's pedaling even faster then Gaudreau and Nylander in that Sonnet Insurance commercial. Too bad he's playing more like Johnny Football than Johnny Hockey. He does fit well with Nylander though.... both lazy and soft surfing on their contract. 2 frileux.

 

[Habs Halifax]

But seriously, he hasn't really learned the defensive game.
Didn't go in the AHL for long...
Maybe he's learning to play the right way, then the points will come back??

Weather he learns to be more trusted and consistent in the 200' game, He's not going to drive offense on his own or by playing with players younger or less skilled than him. Right now, Domi is the only good fit. We need more offensive top 6 talent and proven top 2C's

 

[CheldishGamibno]

Wow his game hasn’t changed since juniors, he’s played nearly 5 seasons in the NHL, he’s pretty much 2 seasons in with the Habs and you want another season before you decide? It’s not like he’s a rookie like KK. He just thinks he’s better than everyone else and doesn’t need to work at his game. Yes he had a better game last night not that’s saying much (our expectations are low on him so some people think he did really well IMO he played how he should every game but was unlucky points wise). I obviously have higher expectations of players being paid that much.q

Some players take a longer time to mature than others, some players mature at 19, others at 26.

He just thinks he’s better than everyone else and doesn’t need to work at his game.

How could you know that?

 

[peate]

Some players take a longer time to mature than others, some players mature at 19, others at 26.

That's a little late, you don't think?

 

[Fixxer]

That's a little late, you don't think?

It's not late if you consider some never do...

 

[CheldishGamibno]

That's a little late, you don't think?

Pavelski became dominant at 25, Huberdeau 24, Hertl 25, Lindholm 24, etc.
You can check earlier. Andrew Brunette was 27, Ray Whitney 28, Todd Bertuzzi 26, etc, etc.

 

[Kimota]

Réjean Tremblay was talking about Guy Lafleur who he said to him he was pretty pissed about the use of Drouin who probably understand his situation he has had with coaches like his first three years with Bowman and his run with Lemaire.

I think guys like Drouin they are not gonna perform more by punishing them. It's not gonna work. He may make mistakes by give him more icetime.

 

[cphabs]

Weather he learns to be more trusted and consistent in the 200' game, He's not going to drive offense on his own or by playing with players younger or less skilled than him. Right now, Domi is the only good fit. We need more offensive top 6 talent and proven top 2C's

Like in Tampa?

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Like in Tampa?

Like with Nikita Kucherov pumping his tires on the PP so that he required a Mikhail Sergachev to purchase .

 

[LaP]

Pavelski became dominant at 25, Huberdeau 24, Hertl 25, Lindholm 24, etc.
You can check earlier. Andrew Brunette was 27, Ray Whitney 28, Todd Bertuzzi 26, etc, etc.

Pavelski is a bad example. He became pro at 22 after his school. It did not take him 5 years pro to become dominant like saying he became dominant at 25 might imply. He did his first 60 points season in his 3rd pro year. Age matters but the number of years of experience do too.

I sure do hope Drouin will be better than Brunette. Brunette had a couple of good to solid offensive seasons but he was not a player you could rely on to drive your offense. He could complement guys like Sakic but he missed the playoffs most of his career when he was the go to guy.

Huberdeau did 59 points in 76 games as a 22 years old. Hertl has one great season too soon to assume anything in his case. It might be an outlier. Same for Lindholm. Bertuzzi prime lasted 4 years. I loved him while it lasted but if your plan is to build around guys like him your windows will be shorter than a man's tool in cold water. Whitney is a good example.

Do you want me to list you all the examples of guys who did not progress past 23? Be ready for a looooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnng read. IT's not looking good for Drouin. He might figure it out but there's a lot more chances he doesn't. Will he have 2-3 career years? Yeah sure like anyone else. But that's not how you build cup contender. Waiting for the career years of your players to lineup Jojo Savard style. Ideally you want your core to be made of guys having a prime of at least 10 seasons.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Drouin set up two goals last game for god's sake and was the most creative player on the ice. Seriously man. Watch the actual games, build an actual informed viewpoint, don't be a sheep in the haters herd.

Are you even watching the same games as the rest of us? Set up two goals? What’re you even talking about? He didn’t set up **** and hasn’t for 20+ games now.

 

[Kotkaniemi15]

Imagine how sick it would be if Drouin fulfilled his potential. Sigh...

 

[Captain Mountain]

Réjean Tremblay was talking about Guy Lafleur who he said to him he was pretty pissed about the use of Drouin who probably understand his situation he has had with coaches like his first three years with Bowman and his run with Lemaire.

I think guys like Drouin they are not gonna perform more by punishing them. It's not gonna work. He may make mistakes by give him more icetime.

Why though? He's been given prime PP minutes. And he has to actually earn prime ice-time at ES. Tatar earned his ice-time over him and if Drouin isn't creating enough offense at ES, he's not going to get ice-time over a player that is actually responsible defensively.

We all know that Drouin has talent, but talent alone means nothing. He has to actually play hard, stay engaged and use his head.