Player Discussion Jonathan Drouin - Part 3

[WatchfulElm]

I expect Drouin to give a touching interview, maybe trying to raise awareness about mental health issues, respect and the importance of being there for each others.

And then, knowing this board, I fully expect people here to continue to shit on him on a daily basis, calling him names and trying to drive him out of town.

Yeah, even though I hang out here, I don't have a very high opinion of the average level of maturity and empathy of this board.

Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Belial]

He can only do things on the man advantage because he has time. The fancy dekes rarely work ES. He can’t penetrate the offensive zone at all unless he dumps it in which played into our powerplay being so terrible. He’s as predictable as it gets when trying to gain entry and he does avoid contact. He can’t beat players at the blueline which doesn’t compliment our two best RW in Gallagher or Anderson at all.

You're not discovering new things here... Skill players need time and space to shine, we just went to the SCF by doing the exact opposite.

We have a ton of players on this team that are defensively responsible but not that skilled, I think Drouin can help if put in the right chair.

I would try him with Dvorak and Gally to start the season, they should be able to negate his lack of defensive acumen.

 

[Mudz]

I expect Drouin to give a touching interview, maybe trying to raise awareness about mental health issues, respect and the importance of being there for each others.

And then, knowing this board, I fully expect people here to continue to shit on him on a daily basis, calling him names and trying to drive him out of town.

Yeah, even though I hang out here, I don't have a very high opinion of the average level of maturity and empathy of this board.

Hope I'm wrong.

While I agree with you, it's good to remember that a few keyboard warriors doesn't represents everyone and that most have empathy and intelligence to appreciate his interview.
The loud ignorant minority is annoying tho.

 

[Belial]

While I agree with you, it's good to remember that a few keyboard warriors doesn't represents everyone and that most have empathy and intelligence to appreciate his interview.
The loud ignorant minority is annoying tho.

The worst is that they usually get control even if they're the minority in reality!

 

[Andy]

Can someone explain to me why I should believe that Drouin will put it all together at 26, but there is no chance KK puts it all together at 21?

 

[Belial]

Can someone explain to me why I should believe that Drouin will put it all together at 26, but there is no chance KK puts it all together at 21?

Put it all together? Drouin already has 2 50+ points seasons under his belt...

 

[Andy]

Put it all together? Drouin already has 2 50+ points seasons under his belt...

So does Alex Galchenyuk. I doubt you’d say that Galchenyuk can put it all together. It’s funny because Galchenyuk has had a more productive career thus far in terms of points.

again, I don’t understand why Drouin can put it together at 26 but KK can’t at 21z

 

[bobholly39]

Put it all together? Drouin already has 2 50+ points seasons under his belt...

Drouin 'putting it together' would be a 90+ point season, not a 50 point season.

I'm not saying he's about to hit 90 points or anything - but he's always had tremendous potential. He hasn't reached it, not close. Still a serviceable, if very frustrating, player.

I'm hoping he can show up rejuvenated and have his best year yet. I'd absolutely love to see a line of Drouin Suzuki Caufield. I think it could work great

 

[dcyhabs]

So Byron's the worst player in the NHL making 3.4 mill?

He's not a bad player but he's had health issues, he's an aging speedster, and he's overpaid with a flat cap. Any team would want him on the fourth line at a reasonable cap hit for a year or two, no one, including the habs, thinks it is a good use of cap space to pay him 3.4 million for 2 declining years. He hasn't been the same since his concussion. The "code" sucks, it's just a way to justify goonery and bullying, big guys beating on little guys.

 

[salbutera]

Drouin 'putting it together' would be a 90+ point season, not a 50 point season.

I'm not saying he's about to hit 90 points or anything - but he's always had tremendous potential. He hasn't reached it, not close. Still a serviceable, if very frustrating, player.

I'm hoping he can show up rejuvenated and have his best year yet. I'd absolutely love to see a line of Drouin Suzuki Caufield. I think it could work great

Drouin has never had 90-point potential... that’s Crosby, McDavid generational talent level

70-75 I’d agree

 

[Belial]

So does Alex Galchenyuk. I doubt you’d say that Galchenyuk can put it all together. It’s funny because Galchenyuk has had a more productive career thus far in terms of points.

again, I don’t understand why Drouin can put it together at 26 but KK can’t at 21z

Chucky 0.57
Drouin 0.59

And who said KK can't put it together? It's not like we gave up on him or something...

There was a bridge contract coming up to keep him in the org.

 

[Doc McKenna]

You're not discovering new things here... Skill players need time and space to shine, we just went to the SCF by doing the exact opposite.

We have a ton of players on this team that are defensively responsible but not that skilled, I think Drouin can help if put in the right chair.

I would try him with Dvorak and Gally to start the season, they should be able to negate his lack of defensive acumen.

Yeah that's what we said about chuck and kk. But nope they were poison and its all on them. Yet we are still giving chances to the guy going into his late 20s

 

[bobholly39]

Drouin has never had 90-point potential... that’s Crosby, McDavid generational talent level

70-75 I’d agree

I don't think so. Huberdeau, Marner, Gaudreau, Giroux, Hall, Kessel, Wheeler, etc. All wingers who have hit 90+ points in the past few years. Guys like Crosby/McDavid is more like 110+ points potential.

Regardless, it's a moot point. Drouin won't be hitting it. Because if he did- it'd be one of the greatest career turn arounds in the history of the NHL.

 

[Belial]

Drouin 'putting it together' would be a 90+ point season, not a 50 point season.

I'm not saying he's about to hit 90 points or anything - but he's always had tremendous potential. He hasn't reached it, not close. Still a serviceable, if very frustrating, player.

I'm hoping he can show up rejuvenated and have his best year yet. I'd absolutely love to see a line of Drouin Suzuki Caufield. I think it could work great

Yeah well, that's exactly what I'm talking about!

If people could just appreciate what he brings without always thinking he could do more he'll be just fine.

 

[Belial]

Yeah that's what we said about chuck and kk. But nope they were poison and its all on them. Yet we are still giving chances to the guy going into his late 20s

Ehhh all those players got chances, I have no idea what you're talking about.

We didn't get rid of KK, a bridge contract was waiting for him.

And for Drouin, it's a completely different situation, the guy is signed so, he will get chances to showcase himself just to get traded later at this point.

 

[Doc McKenna]

Ehhh all those players got chances, I have no idea what you're talking about.

We didn't get rid of KK, a bridge contract was waiting for him.

And for Drouin, it's a completely different situation, the guy is signed so, he will get chances to showcase himself just to get traded later at this point.

Lmao, we gave drouin a winger, an entire season as #1c but we never did for kk or chuck or other players. So lets not pretend drouin hasnt had even as many chances as kk or chuck.

 

[Andy]

Chucky 0.57
Drouin 0.59

And who said KK can't put it together? It's not like we gave up on him or something...

There was a bridge contract coming up to keep him in the org.

I’ve noticed a trend in this thread that the very same people dismissing KK’s ability to put it all together are the same folks telling everyone that “this is the year” for Drouin. So I’m wondering what convinces people that Drouin still has room to grow at 26 while KK is done at 21

 

[Belial]

Lmao, we gave drouin a winger, an entire season as #1c but we never did for kk or chuck or other players. So lets not pretend drouin hasnt had even as many chances as kk or chuck.

Man, once again you have no idea what you're talking about.

Different ages and different stages in their careers...

 

[Belial]

I’ve noticed a trend in this thread that the very same people dismissing KK’s ability to put it all together are the same folks telling everyone that “this is the year” for Drouin. So I’m wondering what convinces people that Drouin still has room to grow at 26 while KK is done at 21

Oh well, I have no idea what trend you saw cuz it doesn't really make a lot of sense.

How is Drouin even connected to KK?

Dvorak exploding trend would make sense...

 

[salbutera]

Lmao, we gave drouin a winger, an entire season as #1c but we never did for kk or chuck or other players. So lets not pretend drouin hasnt had even as many chances as kk or chuck.

With all due respect, Drouin is renowned for being a hockey nerd / student of the game, Galchenyuk was the furthest thing from it & I can’t speak for KK as I just don’t know.

Doesn’t whatsoever mean it’ll translate to on ice & Drouin will actually produce but point being that aspect has bought him goodwill - especially from Dom Dom who knows him well

 

[Justsayin]

I’ve noticed a trend in this thread that the very same people dismissing KK’s ability to put it all together are the same folks telling everyone that “this is the year” for Drouin. So I’m wondering what convinces people that Drouin still has room to grow at 26 while KK is done at 21

I'm not exactly the person you are talking about - I think KK is going to be very good, and I have a feeling that Drouin is going to have a good year.
But I will say this about your question as to why people believe as they do. Most people, if they are honest with themselves, believe what they want to believe and it's very hard to get them to believe something else.
For Drouin, he is exceptionally skilled. That is a reason to think he could do well. He has done very well for stretches in the past. There are reasons/excuses (depending on what you decide they are) for some of his difficulties - eg. being forced into a position he wasn't cut out for - injuries - maybe mental health issues.
Personally I think some of the criticisms here have been way over the top and the name-calling is just childish at times.

 

[salbutera]

I expect Drouin to give a touching interview, maybe trying to raise awareness about mental health issues, respect and the importance of being there for each others.

And then, knowing this board, I fully expect people here to continue to shit on him on a daily basis, calling him names and trying to drive him out of town.

Yeah, even though I hang out here, I don't have a very high opinion of the average level of maturity and empathy of this board.

Hope I'm wrong.

Will be interesting... what if it’s a curveball and had nothing to do w rumored mental health?

 

[Goalfield22]

I expect Drouin to give a touching interview, maybe trying to raise awareness about mental health issues, respect and the importance of being there for each others.

And then, knowing this board, I fully expect people here to continue to shit on him on a daily basis, calling him names and trying to drive him out of town.

Yeah, even though I hang out here, I don't have a very high opinion of the average level of maturity and empathy of this board.

Hope I'm wrong.

The guy is making millions playing a sport. I can sympathize with him off the ice, but he needs to produce on it.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Nobody thinks he's a locker room cancer. The reasons are:

1) In-season cap flexibility matters, we don't know what will happen and there's always a possibility that a team like Nashville decides to blow it up and Forsberg or Ekholm becomes available, maybe Lafreniere has a breakout year and the Rangers decide to move Kreider with Panarin and Lafreniere locked in to their top 6, maybe Hampus Lindholm becomes available in season and is willing to extend with us, there are a lot of ways we could allocate 5.5M (and 10+ pro-rated if we wait half the season) that are more valuable to the team than Drouin, who is at the absolute most optimistic view the 4th best winger on the team if you're low on Hoffman and Anderson.

2) He's just not very good, and the same roster congestion on the wings will exist next year unless another better player is traded. He's still under contract for next year, and right now is as good a time as any to fix that roster congestion issue, especially when we have Toffoli, Caufield, Gallagher, Hoffman, Anderson, Armia, and Lehkonen who are all very easy to pencil in to a top 9.

3) He's a bad fit on any of our top 9 lines. He is too weak defensively to play with Suzuki unless you're taking Caufield off his line which is also a bad thing to do, and doesn't fit very well on line 2 or 3 if they're centered by Dvorak and Evans and expected to take defensive matchups, and is likely not going to produce much on the 4th line with Evans/Paquette/Perreault + Armia, and we have internal options who will be basically just as effective in a 3rd/4th line role, especially if the 3rd line is expected to take some defensive matchups.

You can disagree with the reasoning if you want, and I don't think it's wrong to say you'd prefer Drouin at 5.5 over the empty cap space in the 2nd week of September, but it's dishonest to act like the only reason people don't want Drouin around anymore is some emotional vendetta against the player. We have 6 top 9 winger slots, and I think most fans believe Caufield, Gallagher, Toffoli, Hoffman, and Anderson deserve 5 of them. That leaves Drouin, Lehkonen, and Armia for the final 3, and given the likely makeup of our 2nd and 3rd line where Dvorak and either Evans or Poehling are taking defensive shifts, it's perfectly reasonable to prefer Lehkonen or Armia in those spots and question if it makes sense to use Drouin on the 4th line.

You don't have to explain the issues or flaws surrounding Drouin. It's been well documented and discussed. I do feel that him and Byron are the logical ones to move so we can create cap space. However, I also feel some fans can't control their emotions or passion for our team and go on a witch hunt. Drouin is who he is and he does have more to offer which is the frustrating part. Does he finished his term with us? Who knows but he is here and there is no need to add noise on top of noise.

One last thing. I would steer clear at saying "Nobody". Don't try to represent what others say. Stick to your own opinion cause in case you didn't notice, there are many in our fan base that likes to jump on players back when they are down.

 

[Wats]

Felt like he has chemistry with Josh Anderson, both had success when together. Curious to see how a Drouin - Evans - Anderson line performs. Evans hopefully covers the other 2's defensive weakness and compliment them with his good hockey IQ.