yave1964 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Not looking good for the kid. According to numerous sources he has seemed overwhelmed and out of sorts in his first attempt to make it with the Lightning. Whether Drouin is with Tampa Bay or Halifax of the junior Quebec league, "mostly we want him playing," general manager Steve Yzerman said. "It's not the end of the world if a player has to go back (to juniors). But we certainly want to give him every opportunity before making that decision." "The jump from junior to the NHL is a massive one," he said. "I can't imagine a jump from junior to the NHL. …. It's just a fact he's playing a game with so much more pace than what he's used to, and it takes time to catch up. You can see he's progressing each game. He looks more comfortable than he did at the rookie tournament games (before camp), so that's a good sign that he's slowly catching up to the game. But it's going to take time. "Take where he was drafted out of the picture and let's just let the player develop. I don't think we can judge Jonathan Drouin in one month of his rookie season." "Wherever I end up after this camp," Drouin said, "I think I learned a lot." Ahem. Essentially the Lightning are disappointed with his struggles but putting as much of a positive spin as possible upon it. They will likely give him his nine game tryout at the NHL level before sending him back for another year in juniors at Halifax, playing for the Moosehead instead of the Bolts. It is disappointing but not the end of the world. He is only eighteen years old and should be treated accordingly. The odds are he will have a long career and Yzerman in the long run is likely doing him a favor if he sends him down for seasoning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Friggin figures, the rookie I identify as being the most fantasy worthy goes back to junior, ha ha...just my luck! Imagine if McKinnon gets back as well?? Halifax would be on cloud nine!! Getting those two back would probably guarantee Halifax at *least* a trip to the QHL finals, and maybe even a Memorial Cup. Stranger things have happened. The Ave's do have Dueschene, O'Riley and Stasney down the middle. Maybe they send him back instead of making one of those guys play out of positon....a long shot, but it could happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goalnut3133 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Wow yave, i haven't been following the kid since the draft, but I just happen to be watching a special "Driven: 2013 NHL Draft" on the NHL Network (free preview) & they just re-played his pick process. Such high hopes for him & speculations that day. Really, what a pretty big disappointment. And to think that could have also happened to our Shinkaruk or BoHo, we're pretty fortunate so far. But he is so young & has lots of time to develop & get his legs. Hope to see him on the rise in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 @jammer2 yeah, thanks to your braggin him up I chose him in a league which has 20 managers. damm. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 @hf101 Just the thought of seeing him break into Tampa Bay's top pp made it an easy gamble to take. If he does make the team, and does break into the top pp with Stammer, with his passing skills, he could be a 70 pt rookie. That sounds a little far fetched now, but that's how I was thinking at the draft. One of the best set up guys in the world playing with St.Louis and Stammer....that would be pure fantasy gold. I still contend it was worth the gamble. A very high risk, high reward type of play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 @jammer2 Yeah, but I'm trying to decide if I should drop him, before the league starts paying attention.... too much. I don't have a lot too choose from for a LW replacement. Stempiak, Foligno, Tanguay, Greening, Vermette, Raymond, Zucker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 @hf101 I'm guessing Tlustly is gone, he could match his point per game pace of last year. Of the guys you listed, Foligno and Zucker probably have the most upside, if Raymond was to break into Toronto's top 6, he could have a good year. He has been outstanding in the pre-season, one of the better Leaf forwards, but I still see him projecting into the bottom six. Never know, if a injury happens, he could be the guy to leap frog into the top 6 due to his speed and hard work. I would sit on Drouin a bit longer, if he does stick in TB, he should outscore the crew you have to pick from, plus, those guys should be sitting there on the waiver wire if Drouin does get sent back to juniors. I'm betting better LW's will emerge as the season hit's the one week mark anyways. Silferberg has LW/RW eligibility, and could play with Getzlaf and Perry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 @jammer2 Yeah, that is what I was thinking also. Silferberg is gone. There isn't much left. 20 teams, 16 rounds. 320 players taken. Maybe look for a RW for a trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 @jammer2@yave1964 Apparently he was switched from Wing to Center. Lightning management sees him as a center, for they know he can play wing at anytime. He may have helped his cause tonignt in only his second game of the preseason as he scored the gwg in a shootout. http://lightning.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=684153 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 @hf101 Good Lord, I have 5 centers in fantasy already, with Taylor Hall *and* Drouin converting to center also, wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 @jammer2 Drouin was sent down today. I picked up Tanguay in my other league for him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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