The Official Jonathan Drouin Thread - Part Drou

[CupsOverCash]

Drouin has impressed this year that he has played. It's not like he hasn't earned the right. He's just happens to be the rookie. He will get his chance next year. I think he should be playing now but that's not the case.

 

[hockeey]

Big Drouin fan, just wondering how about Bolts Fan's opinion on him. Obviously he wasn't used ideally this past season and as a result didn't put up great points. Is everyone still as high on him as they were when he was drafted?

 

[dechire]

Big Drouin fan, just wondering how about Bolts Fan's opinion on him. Obviously he wasn't used ideally this past season and as a result didn't put up great points. Is everyone still as high on him as they were when he was drafted?

Yes. Hopefully he will be used properly next year because he's so much better than he's been given an opportunity to show. I think he'll have a breakout year.

 

[golgoXIII]

i've been watching hockey for 35 years and ther's something i can tell you Cooper does'nt like Drouin so IMO it could look like another Tyler Seguin Story.You look at how hawks play Toews and Kane at 18-19-20 years old to give them responsability and it's kind of clear that Drouin don't have that kind of ice time so make the addition

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Nah, it happened with Kucherov last year too and look now, Drouin will be fine

 

[chasespace]

i've been watching hockey for 35 years and ther's something i can tell you Cooper does'nt like Drouin so IMO it could look like another Tyler Seguin Story.You look at how hawks play Toews and Kane at 18-19-20 years old to give them responsability and it's kind of clear that Drouin don't have that kind of ice time so make the addition

Cooper and, to a larger extent, Yzerman preach patience with players. I honestly have no doubt that if Drouin could have spent the entire year in the AHL he would never have seen the ice in Tampa unless he pulled a Kucherov and played so well they had to bring him up.

Kucherov bounced between the third and fourth lines last year and this year Cooper has let him off of the leash. I expect the same thing to happen with Drouin next season since this year his time and assignments are being watched like a hawk.

 

[DFC]

Cooper and, to a larger extent, Yzerman preach patience with players. I honestly have no doubt that if Drouin could have spent the entire year in the AHL he would never have seen the ice in Tampa unless he pulled a Kucherov and played so well they had to bring him up.

Kucherov bounced between the third and fourth lines last year and this year Cooper has let him off of the leash. I expect the same thing to happen with Drouin next season since this year his time and assignments are being watched like a hawk.

To be honest, I'm not sure if that's going to happen for Drouin the same way though. Kucherov didn't suddenly get the green light from Cooper this year. He was still bouncing around on the third line. It was an injury to Brett Connolly that opened the door for him.

I'm not at all sure that Drouin's going to make next year's team. Yzerman and Coop are both about patience, but Yzerman is much, much more about making sure his prospects are playing and playing a lot. So if he has a choice between Drouin seeing 10 minutes per night on the 3rd/4th line, or 20 minutes per night in Syracuse, maybe even killing the odd penalty, I'm not so sure Drouin sticks in TB next year. I hope I'm wrong, but at the first of this season, Kucherov was far from a sure thing to stick with the team too. Coop has said as much.

 

[kris]

To be honest, I'm not sure if that's going to happen for Drouin the same way though. Kucherov didn't suddenly get the green light from Cooper this year. He was still bouncing around on the third line. It was an injury to Brett Connolly that opened the door for him.

I'm not at all sure that Drouin's going to make next year's team. Yzerman and Coop are both about patience, but Yzerman is much, much more about making sure his prospects are playing and playing a lot. So if he has a choice between Drouin seeing 10 minutes per night on the 3rd/4th line, or 20 minutes per night in Syracuse, maybe even killing the odd penalty, I'm not so sure Drouin sticks in TB next year. I hope I'm wrong, but at the first of this season, Kucherov was far from a sure thing to stick with the team too. Coop has said as much.

If Drouin cant crack the Bolts and Killorn is on your top line next year I feel bad for your fan base. I have had the pleasure of watching him in Halifax and have followed a lot of games from you guys this year watching him make **** happen on the 4th line. I get that you guys havent seen his potential as he doesnt get ice time, but trust me. Look at the guys that are calder finalists, and HM's. He is the most talented forward of that group and I would bet my mortgage on that. If people are going to use the "Crosbys wingers suck" etc, excuse for him not putting up big numbers, then its applicable here. Drouin put up close to .5 per game with Boyle and Morrow lol.

anyways Ill just copy and paste my most recent FB status.

Getting really frustrated with Jon Cooper. Im not even a Bolts fan but I want to see Drouin succeed. Tampa is in a goal scoring slump, Stamkos is playing like garbage and Drouin is sitting in the pressbox again.
He has this weird view that rookies need to earn their ice and points to his success with Palat and Kucherov. Thing is Drouin isnt Palat or Kucherov. Theyre both great but Drouin is on another level. Theyre both basically a year older than him but they have "experience" (a 4 game sweep by the Habs last season lol) Give me a break.
It doesnt seem like a hard scenario to cure. You have one of the best goal scorers in the world, and potentially the next greatest playmaker on your roster yet you never play them together. Drouin was 12th in the entire league and 1st in rookies with most assists per 60 minutes of icetime. Yet his stats dont show him as a high impact rookie because he played 12 minutes of ice a game due to Tampas "depth" yet Alex Killorn is on your first line with Stammer, phew, Killorn - THATS the guy you want feeding Stamkos the puck, not the 2APG CHL player, who has rose to the occasion and played clutch in the playoffs his entire career.
Sam Bennet, 1 regular season game under his belt, and has arguably been the Flames best player, not to mention the role their other rookies play. Bo Horvat has been the arguably the best Canuck. Filip Scoresberg has been one of the biggest offensive factors for Nashville. Mark Stone for the Sens, but lets sit a player who is projected to be better than every single one of those players in the press box. Logic.
Anyway, Coopers an idiot and I hope the Bolts get shutout for the 2nd time this series and get sent home by the Wings.
‪#‎TellemHowYouReallyFeel‬

 

[The Macho King]

If Drouin cant crack the Bolts and Killorn is on your top line next year I feel bad for your fan base. I have had the pleasure of watching him in Halifax and have followed a lot of games from you guys this year watching him make **** happen on the 4th line. I get that you guys havent seen his potential as he doesnt get ice time, but trust me. Look at the guys that are calder finalists, and HM's. He is the most talented forward of that group and I would bet my mortgage on that. If people are going to use the "Crosbys wingers suck" etc, excuse for him not putting up big numbers, then its applicable here. Drouin put up close to .5 per game with Boyle and Morrow lol.

anyways Ill just copy and paste my most recent FB status.

Getting really frustrated with Jon Cooper. Im not even a Bolts fan but I want to see Drouin succeed. Tampa is in a goal scoring slump, Stamkos is playing like garbage and Drouin is sitting in the pressbox again.
He has this weird view that rookies need to earn their ice and points to his success with Palat and Kucherov. Thing is Drouin isnt Palat or Kucherov. Theyre both great but Drouin is on another level. Theyre both basically a year older than him but they have "experience" (a 4 game sweep by the Habs last season lol) Give me a break.
It doesnt seem like a hard scenario to cure. You have one of the best goal scorers in the world, and potentially the next greatest playmaker on your roster yet you never play them together. Drouin was 12th in the entire league and 1st in rookies with most assists per 60 minutes of icetime. Yet his stats dont show him as a high impact rookie because he played 12 minutes of ice a game due to Tampas "depth" yet Alex Killorn is on your first line with Stammer, phew, Killorn - THATS the guy you want feeding Stamkos the puck, not the 2APG CHL player, who has rose to the occasion and played clutch in the playoffs his entire career.
Sam Bennet, 1 regular season game under his belt, and has arguably been the Flames best player, not to mention the role their other rookies play. Bo Horvat has been the arguably the best Canuck. Filip Scoresberg has been one of the biggest offensive factors for Nashville. Mark Stone for the Sens, but lets sit a player who is projected to be better than every single one of those players in the press box. Logic.
Anyway, Coopers an idiot and I hope the Bolts get shutout for the 2nd time this series and get sent home by the Wings.
‪#‎TellemHowYouReallyFeel‬

I don't think I disagree with a single thing you said. Even the last sentence.

 

[DFC]

If Drouin cant crack the Bolts and Killorn is on your top line next year I feel bad for your fan base. I have had the pleasure of watching him in Halifax and have followed a lot of games from you guys this year watching him make **** happen on the 4th line. I get that you guys havent seen his potential as he doesnt get ice time, but trust me. Look at the guys that are calder finalists, and HM's. He is the most talented forward of that group and I would bet my mortgage on that. If people are going to use the "Crosbys wingers suck" etc, excuse for him not putting up big numbers, then its applicable here. Drouin put up close to .5 per game with Boyle and Morrow lol.

anyways Ill just copy and paste my most recent FB status.

Getting really frustrated with Jon Cooper. Im not even a Bolts fan but I want to see Drouin succeed. Tampa is in a goal scoring slump, Stamkos is playing like garbage and Drouin is sitting in the pressbox again.
He has this weird view that rookies need to earn their ice and points to his success with Palat and Kucherov. Thing is Drouin isnt Palat or Kucherov. Theyre both great but Drouin is on another level. Theyre both basically a year older than him but they have "experience" (a 4 game sweep by the Habs last season lol) Give me a break.
It doesnt seem like a hard scenario to cure. You have one of the best goal scorers in the world, and potentially the next greatest playmaker on your roster yet you never play them together. Drouin was 12th in the entire league and 1st in rookies with most assists per 60 minutes of icetime. Yet his stats dont show him as a high impact rookie because he played 12 minutes of ice a game due to Tampas "depth" yet Alex Killorn is on your first line with Stammer, phew, Killorn - THATS the guy you want feeding Stamkos the puck, not the 2APG CHL player, who has rose to the occasion and played clutch in the playoffs his entire career.
Sam Bennet, 1 regular season game under his belt, and has arguably been the Flames best player, not to mention the role their other rookies play. Bo Horvat has been the arguably the best Canuck. Filip Scoresberg has been one of the biggest offensive factors for Nashville. Mark Stone for the Sens, but lets sit a player who is projected to be better than every single one of those players in the press box. Logic.
Anyway, Coopers an idiot and I hope the Bolts get shutout for the 2nd time this series and get sent home by the Wings.
‪#‎TellemHowYouReallyFeel‬

We all see the potential. And we're frustrated by the situation.

 

[JamieG]

If Drouin cant crack the Bolts and Killorn is on your top line next year I feel bad for your fan base. I have had the pleasure of watching him in Halifax and have followed a lot of games from you guys this year watching him make **** happen on the 4th line. I get that you guys havent seen his potential as he doesnt get ice time, but trust me. Look at the guys that are calder finalists, and HM's. He is the most talented forward of that group and I would bet my mortgage on that. If people are going to use the "Crosbys wingers suck" etc, excuse for him not putting up big numbers, then its applicable here. Drouin put up close to .5 per game with Boyle and Morrow lol.

anyways Ill just copy and paste my most recent FB status.

Getting really frustrated with Jon Cooper. Im not even a Bolts fan but I want to see Drouin succeed. Tampa is in a goal scoring slump, Stamkos is playing like garbage and Drouin is sitting in the pressbox again.
He has this weird view that rookies need to earn their ice and points to his success with Palat and Kucherov. Thing is Drouin isnt Palat or Kucherov. Theyre both great but Drouin is on another level. Theyre both basically a year older than him but they have "experience" (a 4 game sweep by the Habs last season lol) Give me a break.
It doesnt seem like a hard scenario to cure. You have one of the best goal scorers in the world, and potentially the next greatest playmaker on your roster yet you never play them together. Drouin was 12th in the entire league and 1st in rookies with most assists per 60 minutes of icetime. Yet his stats dont show him as a high impact rookie because he played 12 minutes of ice a game due to Tampas "depth" yet Alex Killorn is on your first line with Stammer, phew, Killorn - THATS the guy you want feeding Stamkos the puck, not the 2APG CHL player, who has rose to the occasion and played clutch in the playoffs his entire career.
Sam Bennet, 1 regular season game under his belt, and has arguably been the Flames best player, not to mention the role their other rookies play. Bo Horvat has been the arguably the best Canuck. Filip Scoresberg has been one of the biggest offensive factors for Nashville. Mark Stone for the Sens, but lets sit a player who is projected to be better than every single one of those players in the press box. Logic.
Anyway, Coopers an idiot and I hope the Bolts get shutout for the 2nd time this series and get sent home by the Wings.
‪#‎TellemHowYouReallyFeel‬

Well said, Kris.
Unfortunately, there is no hope of Cooper suddenly changing his ways because coaches need to justify their decisions of the past by not admitting mistakes.

 

[Brie]

At least Drouin will be able to say that he for to win the only PO game he probably will get to play his first season.

 

[zeykshade]

The thing with Cooper and Kucherov, as DFC has posted before, Cooper shouldn't claim credit for his year this year.

Kucherov was on the 3rd line doing NOTHING and only an injury to Connolly caused him to get time with TJ and Drej. It wasn't some brainwave genius move on his part. Just a run of the mill injury. Cooper is right though about Kucherov to be honest. He's playing Kessel-Hockey so far in this series.

 

[The Macho King]

The thing with Cooper and Kucherov, as DFC has posted before, Cooper shouldn't claim credit for his year this year.

Kucherov was on the 3rd line doing NOTHING and only an injury to Connolly caused him to get time with TJ and Drej. It wasn't some brainwave genius move on his part. Just a run of the mill injury. Cooper is right though about Kucherov to be honest. He's playing Kessel-Hockey so far in this series.

I believe Killorn and someone else was also injured at that time.

 

[DFC]

I believe Killorn and someone else was also injured at that time.

Yeah. It took a perfect storm of disasters for Kuch to get off the third line. If it hadn't happened, we might still be arguing with people that it's a matter of opportunity, not skill.

Coop got lucky and had a homerun fall into his lap.

What I can't understand is, Coop never, ever, trusts rookies. Hell, he didn't trust Drej or TJ until Stamkos got injured and we went through a stretch where we couldn't score to save our lives last year. That's how those two got off the third line. And yet, when he's forced to trust some rookies, they turn out to be among our best players. Which looks pretty obvious long beforehand.

 

[Cigar City]

Yeah. It took a perfect storm of disasters for Kuch to get off the third line. If it hadn't happened, we might still be arguing with people that it's a matter of opportunity, not skill.

Coop got lucky and had a homerun fall into his lap.

What I can't understand is, Coop never, ever, trusts rookies. Hell, he didn't trust Drej or TJ until Stamkos got injured and we went through a stretch where we couldn't score to save our lives last year. That's how those two got off the third line. And yet, when he's forced to trust some rookies, they turn out to be among our best players. Which looks pretty obvious long beforehand.

I feel like I'm saying this in every thread but it defies logic to play guys like Paquette and Morrow over guys that can actually score when you have been shut out for the last 8 of 9 periods.

Cooper isn't dumb. I mean, I just don't get it.

 

[dechire]

This is my view on the issue. I want Drouin to be a Bolt for his entire career if possible. I really like Paquette and Vlad but I don't know if they have a long-term future on this team. Drouin is a part of the future and Cooper needs to start treating him like he is. I don't care if Vlad sits tomorrow because Vlad might be gone by this time next year. I sure as **** care if Drouin sits because he will be here next year and he needs more than a single playoff game of experience if he's going to be a factor when the team hopefully doesn't suck in 2016. I don't care why Cooper doesn't like playing him. Drouin is a star and Cooper needs to get the **** over whatever his issue is and make the right choices to give the team the greatest chance of winning. Benching Nesterov and Drouin is not winning games.

 

[PaulGG]

Drouin will be a good player for many years in this league. He has really been average this season but shows flashes of greatness that makes me optimistic for next season.

 

[kris]

Drouin will be a good player for many years in this league. He has really been average this season but shows flashes of greatness that makes me optimistic for next season.

Has he really been average though? or has he not been put in a position to succeed. More points per 60 minutes than anyone in his draft class (Tied with Nate at 2.0 next closest being Monahan at 1.7) playing primarily with Morrow and Boyle vs Gaudreau and Hudler and Landeskog and Iginla

 

[Hoek]

Definitely not put in a position to succeed. I can't remember one purely bad game he's had. Rookie mistakes? Plenty, like any kid. But he's always shown some kind of flash of skill and he's gotten better at puck battling throughout the season. I know we want to take the patient approach but he really deserved more chances at playing on more scoring oriented lines.

 

[Werewolf]

This is my view on the issue. I want Drouin to be a Bolt for his entire career if possible. I really like Paquette and Vlad but I don't know if they have a long-term future on this team. Drouin is a part of the future and Cooper needs to start treating him like he is. I don't care if Vlad sits tomorrow because Vlad might be gone by this time next year. I sure as **** care if Drouin sits because he will be here next year and he needs more than a single playoff game of experience if he's going to be a factor when the team hopefully doesn't suck in 2016. I don't care why Cooper doesn't like playing him. Drouin is a star and Cooper needs to get the **** over whatever his issue is and make the right choices to give the team the greatest chance of winning. Benching Nesterov and Drouin is not winning games.

Paquette is our fourth line Center of the future when Boyle's contract runs out. Namestnikov is our third line Center of the future once Filppula's play doesn't deserve the contract he has. They both have a clear path to play time with the big boy team.

 

[LordZapp]

Been saying all season that he needs to be on the top line with stammer. Nobody on our top line has the ability to carry the puck into the offensive zone without any real issue. Drouin showed that all season long with his uncanny ability to deke through several defenders gaining entrance into the O-zone. A lot of the times I would see his hard work through the neutral zone pay off, but not necessarily show up on the score sheet. Stamkos NEEDS someone to do that for him, to create him space to use that killer shot of his. I want to pay him to score goals which is what he does, not try to play to a skill set that he doesn't have by trying to be a playmaker which he is average at best, or trying to be a power forward which he is downright terrible at. The latter we've been seeing for all 5 games so far. We need to start calling stamkos TOM right now. Because he has just been a Turn over man. Put drouin on the top line for game 6 and see what happens.

 

[DFC]

Been saying all season that he needs to be on the top line with stammer. Nobody on our top line has the ability to carry the puck into the offensive zone without any real issue. Drouin showed that all season long with his uncanny ability to deke through several defenders gaining entrance into the O-zone. A lot of the times I would see his hard work through the neutral zone pay off, but not necessarily show up on the score sheet. Stamkos NEEDS someone to do that for him, to create him space to use that killer shot of his. I want to pay him to score goals which is what he does, not try to play to a skill set that he doesn't have by trying to be a playmaker which he is average at best, or trying to be a power forward which he is downright terrible at. The latter we've been seeing for all 5 games so far. We need to start calling stamkos TOM right now. Because he has just been a Turn over man. Put drouin on the top line for game 6 and see what happens.

Drouin's out again.

 

[The Macho King]

Seriously - he should have been being prepared to contribute in the offseason, not sheltered. Especially when TKO emerged - we should have known we could deal with growing pains from the Stamkos/Drou line when we had a second first line putting up points like mad. Instead of taking the opportunity that TKO gave us, he turned Stamkos into a ****ing grinder with Killorn and Callahan, instead of getting Drouin ready for the pro game.

I'm ****ing done with Coop. I think I'm more done with him than Stamkos, actually. At least Stamkos has a track record of being awesome - Cooper has shown us a 2-7 playoff record so far.

 

[LordZapp]

Seriously - he should have been being prepared to contribute in the offseason, not sheltered. Especially when TKO emerged - we should have known we could deal with growing pains from the Stamkos/Drou line when we had a second first line putting up points like mad. Instead of taking the opportunity that TKO gave us, he turned Stamkos into a ****ing grinder with Killorn and Callahan, instead of getting Drouin ready for the pro game.

I'm ****ing done with Coop. I think I'm more done with him than Stamkos, actually. At least Stamkos has a track record of being awesome - Cooper has shown us a 2-7 playoff record so far.

While i don't really agree with his use of drouin. Its not all on him, im lead to believe that he wants to take it extremely slow with him like he does all rookies. However drouin is not an ordinary rookie by any means. Should have had the top line duty to build chemistry with stamkos early in the season. Ill give coop another season to get it right. But after that, if he doesnt produce at least a series win. It might be time for a change.