Player Discussion Jonathan Drouin - Part 4
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The Gr8 Dane
L'harceleur
Hopefully he comes back and he puts up a decent 40-50 point season. Thats really all we can ask for him. We need all the help we can get
Catanddogguitarrr
Registered User
Next monday Chantal Machabé have a full interview with Jo on RDS.
WeThreeKings
Habs cup - its in the BAG
Drouin needs to score minimum 70 points to be an effective player.
The Gr8 Dane
L'harceleur
Seb
All we are is Dustin Byfuglien
- Jul 15, 2006
- 17,410
- 12,695
For all the hate Drouin gets, he is still a 50 pts player. He's not nearly as bad as what most people think.
Well it sounds crazy but he will probably be relied on for being the primary puck distributor for all of our scoring wingers on the PP. If he isn't ass at playing hockey again and sticks as PP QB, he might actually sniff 60 to 70 poins.
Who knows.
Canadiens98
Registered User
- Jan 29, 2021
- 376
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Would be great if he could hit that but that's a little much in my opinion. I'm putting my expectation for him at 60.
WeThreeKings
Habs cup - its in the BAG
Yeah it is - he's just not good and he doesn't fit anywhere in this line-up because the only skill he brings, he can't maximize since the other winger is also bad defensively resulting in any center they have getting buried in defensive duties and a lot of pucks ending in our own net.
Goalfield22
In Bilbo We Trust
- Aug 31, 2021
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This is true, but points aren't everything. One thing I do like about Drouin is that it is clear he cares, and he does bring it in the playoffs. Drouin-Suzuki-Armia was a good line for us in the bubble, and it wasn't just because of Suzuki at the time. With all the shooters on the team, he is in a good place this year if he can make it in to the top 9 and PP1 (I wouldn't give him either spot right away, though).
He needs to round out his game more. If he can improve on even one of these areas, he might be worth his cap hit this year:
1. Shooting more/being more decisive
2. Backchecking/caring about D sometimes
3. Taking a hit to make a play on occasion/not shying away from physical play constantly
It isn't so much to ask. If you start him on the 4th line and PP2, it will force him to shoot more I think. Easier match-ups on D as well. This is where he should start.
He might be my least favourite player on the roster, but I will admit he can really help us this year. The depth at F would be insane if Drouin plays well for us.
His PP contributions over all have been the reason poster’s focus on and critique his D play. I felt Drouin committed to becoming a better defensive player last season and I also commended him on the effort. The reality is that is not his forte nor will it appease many. We need a minimum of 60 points out of him including a serious jolt to his PP performance. From what I’ve seen so far PK’s have no fear of closing on him all over the ice. Unlike Kovalev he doesn’t have the ability to burn player’s consistently so his time and space is drastically reduced. No fear factor. I have been less than impressed with his insertion at the point and would only use him up front. Probably on a second wave. Will he once again be that square peg who didn’t fit any of the round holes available?
le_sean
Registered User
- Oct 21, 2006
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People exaggerate how bad he is, but most of those posters have hated him since Day 1 as if it was his fault that we traded Sergachev for him. 50 point player that isn’t nearly as bad defensively as people claim. And he also steps it up in the playoffs.
Goalfield22
In Bilbo We Trust
- Aug 31, 2021
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As much as I dislike him, his playmaking ability would have been welcome in the playoffs last year.
True and despite what I’m reading about the handful of negative posters on this forum. I count myself as one of them. I also felt that plenty of respect and restraint was evident in almost all of us in terms of commenting negatively on his health.
Goalfield22
In Bilbo We Trust
- Aug 31, 2021
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I think a lot of that comes from the fact that even the biggest hater of Drouin has to admit the guy cares and brings it in the post-season. He's not Marner. For him to duck out at that time of year, you knew something major was up. The guy just wants to play. We more or less just criticize him for his play, not his character.
One thing I noticed a lot last year was how indecisive he was. He put himself in so many great offensive spots, and then he would just freeze. If he can remove that from his game, he will be much better for it. Stop thinking so damn much, Drouin!
WeThreeKings
Habs cup - its in the BAG
Yep, all comments are hockey related only and based on the evidence of his play over his entire NHL career, specifically with the Habs.
I commend the young man on taking a step away and getting himself in a mental state where he feels ready to come back - and I actually feel bad for the contract he's signed with us as it makes it impossible to trade him without taking a huge loss in assets, since I don't think returning to Montreal is going to be any easier for him where he will be critiqued for his play at a higher level then if he got moved to Arizona.
The Gr8 Dane
L'harceleur
Agreed I just want him to replace Tatar's regular season output but i doubt he does especially in the goals category
WeThreeKings
Habs cup - its in the BAG
Tatar was part of one of the best 5 on 5 lines in hockey, where Drouin is one of the worst 5 on 5 defenders in the league.. he might be able to replace his production but the impact will be negative, he has to outscore his problems a lot more than he has.
The Gr8 Dane
L'harceleur
I think production is all he has to offer. Nobody is saying that he's good defensively. He can still improve. I've always been in the camp of moving on from him and thinking he's not very good but if we are going to keep him I'd rather be positive about him in the offseason. At least until he dissapoints me when the games start
WeThreeKings
Habs cup - its in the BAG
I think production is all he has to offer. Nobody is saying that he's good defensively. He can still improve. I've always been in the camp of moving on from him and thinking he's not very good but if we are going to keep him I'd rather be positive about him in the offseason. At least until he dissapoints me when the games start
Hahaha fair enough.. I'm definitely at the, I expect absolute trash can fire and if he plays at all good, I'll take it and hope they use the momentum to deal him someplace where his mental health won't suffer during his first slump.
Habs Halifax
Loyal Habs Fan
Last season was as bad as it gets and he still was on pace for 40-50 pts (prorated). I feel he needs 50-70 before Habs fans change their minds. 40-50 is pretty much what he was already doing.
10-15 goals
and
50-70 pts
If he's not doing this, he will continue to be a target to throw under the bus.
WinterLion
Registered User
- Oct 1, 2017
- 5,261
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Solid writeup here from @mynamejeff420 that used to post here. In his time as a Canadien he ranks 8th worst in the league in xGA (essentially weighting the shots Montreal surrenders with him on the ice by location), but I will note this is a tad unfair as it includes the 17-18 year at centre. If you exclude that season and just go with the past 3 years as a winger he improves to uh...the 27th worst defensive forward in the league by that metric.
Absolute worst defensive forward is a touch hyperbolic because guys like Kane, Kessel, Ovechkin, Connor, Kuznetsov, Schiefele are a decent chunk worse, but he's still very much in the basement among forwards in terms of his defensive impact. And of course, you'd obviously note that all those guys score way more while at even strength as a Canadien Drouin's scoring is basically in line with Lehkonen.
Qualitatively I'd say from watching him he's just so unengaged that he flies under the radar as a defensive liability, because while a player like Kessel makes obvious gaffes that you see happen on the ice, Drouin is just so uninvolved with the play that he's not even in position to make those visible mistakes. He was a bit better last year, but the improvement has been from utter black hole to still a very poor defender.
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