Jonathan Drouin.

[seventeen]

Steve Simmons wrote a piece yesterday about a difference of opinion between Jonathan Drouin and Jon Cooper. Jon vs Jon. I don't know Simmons' source, but here's what he (Simmons) reported.

When asked about Drouin being inserted into the line-up, Cooper said, "We're going to put the 20 guys in we think can win us games". In round 2 of the playoffs, with Drouin clearly growing frustrated, Cooper was urged to meet with his player. At this point, Simmons then writes, "Normally, he avoids talking to or making eye contact with Drouin. Their meeting didn't necessarily go well. Cooper told him it was a process to work his way into the Tampa line-up".
"Normally, he avoids talking or making eye-contact with Drouin". ? That doesn't sound like Cooper at all, so I'm skeptical of that point.

He told Drouin to be patient. He told him he's going to be a superstar one day. And then he said about the present: "It's not your time".

Drouin had been quiet and respectful until that moment. But he couldn't hep himself.
"Why isn't it my time? He responded.
"It just isn't", Cooper apparently told him. That ended the meeting.

Simmons might just be stirring things up, but the facts are that Drouin isn't playing and Cooper is dressing 7 dmen and leaving one forward spot vacant. He's also dressing JT Brown, who Cooper may feel is a more responsible player in the Tampa end. On the bottom 3, you want a different style perhaps than on the top 6, where Drouin would fit in eventually. When Drouin played against us, he looked dangerous to me, but I didn't focus at all on watching him in the Tampa end. Cooper's no idiot, so there's undoubtedly something in Drouin's game that he doesn't like and hasn't been fixed yet.

I wonder if this rift will continue or just disappear as Drouin matures? As a fantasy, I wouldn't mind having him on the Habs. DD for JD? Height wise, that's an even deal.

[Polarice]

This kind of reminds me of our Subban situation a few years ago. Thankfully it worked out for all the parties.

[blny]

It's been an interesting situation. I've never considered Drouin to be immature, or 'need maturing'. He's a competitive guy, wants to play, and contribute. We'll see if it sours him, but he may get his chance if they have to move Stamkos.

[Tankdriver]

Well out of his draft year, I recall a lot of the top picks ended up staying with their respective teams and he one of the only ones that was sent back to junior. This year he wasn't exactly in the line up every game. I think you have to put a feeler out there and see if he's available. Maybe Tampa would bite on some package of Andrigetto/Hudon/Tinordi/Pateryn/Draft picks.

[jkr]

Jun 5, 2015 13:40:30 GMT -5 blny said:

It's been an interesting situation. I've never considered Drouin to be immature, or 'need maturing'. He's a competitive guy, wants to play, and contribute. We'll see if it sours him, but he may get his chance if they have to move Stamkos.

I just can't see them moving Stamkos. He may not be scoring at a 50 goal pace on the playoffs but the threat of his presence makes things open up for his teammates.

Guys like that make you contenders. You do what Chicago has done. Maintain the core of stars and modify the supporting cast.

[blny]

Jun 5, 2015 13:56:11 GMT -5 jkr said:

Jun 5, 2015 13:40:30 GMT -5 blny said:

It's been an interesting situation. I've never considered Drouin to be immature, or 'need maturing'. He's a competitive guy, wants to play, and contribute. We'll see if it sours him, but he may get his chance if they have to move Stamkos.

I just can't see them moving Stamkos. He may not be scoring at a 50 goal pace on the playoffs but the threat of his presence makes things open up for his teammates.

Guys like that make you contenders. You do what Chicago has done. Maintain the core of stars and modify the supporting cast.

They're in a real pickle though, and him being a UFA-to-be in a year won't make it easy. The triplets will take big money to sign not far down the road. Carle, Garrison, Hedman and Stralman all big tickets. Callahan is making $5.8 million a year. Filppula $5 million. Stamkos is going to command a $9-10 million salary, and the cap isn't going up (fast) enough off. Personally, I think the Callahan contract was a mistake. He hasn't looked good these playoffs, and the style of game he plays combined with his lack of size mean the likely onset of regular injuries given that he's 30.

[seventeen]

Jun 5, 2015 14:51:50 GMT -5 blny said:

Jun 5, 2015 13:56:11 GMT -5 jkr said:

I just can't see them moving Stamkos. He may not be scoring at a 50 goal pace on the playoffs but the threat of his presence makes things open up for his teammates.

Guys like that make you contenders. You do what Chicago has done. Maintain the core of stars and modify the supporting cast.

They're in a real pickle though, and him being a UFA-to-be in a year won't make it easy. The triplets will take big money to sign not far down the road. Carle, Garrison, Hedman and Stralman all big tickets. Callahan is making $5.8 million a year. Filppula $5 million. Stamkos is going to command a $9-10 million salary, and the cap isn't going up (fast) enough off. Personally, I think the Callahan contract was a mistake. He hasn't looked good these playoffs, and the style of game he plays combined with his lack of size mean the likely onset of regular injuries given that he's 30.

A lot depends on what they have coming up. Their defense prospects include Slater Koekkoek and Dylan Blujus (rounds 1 and 2 in 2012), Anthony D'Angelo, Dominik Masin and Johnathan McLeod (rounds 1 and 2 in 2014). So they have 5 prospects picked in Rounds 1 or 2 from the last 3 drafts. D'Angelo scored a lot of points for Sault Ste. Marie this year, but then they got blown out by Erie in the playoffs. He got 89 points in 55 games for Sarnia and Sault Ste Marie and then dropped to 16 points in 13 games (terrrible, huh?). And yes, he's a defenseman. An October birthday, so he had an extra year of development in his draft class. 5' 11", 177 lbs., so not a big guy. The rest, I know even less about. If half of them develop, that's 2, maybe three guys to replace Garrison, Carle. Most of their core defense is signed through 2017-18, but Hedman comes up after 2 more years and he's going to add another $4MM for sure to their cap. Stamkos will add another $2 to $2.5 or more if the Leafs get into the bidding. Yzerman will continue to feel CAP pressure, because they have some talented guys. They may indeed have to move some of them on, but that will garner them more draft picks, so as long as they keep scouting well, they'll be fine. It's when you do what the Bruins did that you end up in trouble. Or if you sign a Callahan with hard miles on him, for too much.

PS, 20 hours later. See, see, I make one teeny suggestion that it would be great to have Drouin on the Habs and he's dressed for practice and is probably in the line-up tonight. Oh well, that ship has sailed.