Nothing Doing with Drouin
The pressure is really on in Tampa Bay now with two more players seemingly on their way out.
Today, Jonathan Drouin‘s Agent, Allan Walsh pushed the envelope as he made public his young star’s wish for a trade.
Agent for Lightning's Jonathan Drouin goes public with trade request. https://t.co/sAYLiL8neF #TBLightning #nhl pic.twitter.com/Q3rPoZlsWu
— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) January 3, 2016
In his statement, it was clear that there is some unrest between Drouin and either the coaching staff, management or perhaps both. The unrest that has been building presumably since the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season where he was only used in six games.
“On behalf of Jonathan Drouin, I formally requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning back in November. We have not said one word about this untenable situation publicly until today. It’s in everyone’s best interests that Jonathan be allowed to move on play hockey. Let’s be clear, Jonathan loves playing for the fan in Tampa, he loves his teammates and many people within the Lightning organization have treated him well. It was his sincere intention to play in Tampa for many years.”
It doesn’t take much to interpret the statement, as merely reading between the lines will tell you that the discontent stems from an issue with coach Jon Cooper or Steve Yzerman as virtually everyone else was mentioned in the statement.
Not An Uncommon Occurrence
This is not the first time that a player has clashed with the organization in recent years. The great Martin St. Louis demanded a trade that was granted during the 2013-14 season. He had been with the organization since the 2000-01 season.
Report: Martin St. Louis is ‘locked on’ the Rangers: His trade demands… http://t.co/KWQSvcyu1R via @NHLonNBCSports #NHL #TBLightning
— TB Lightning Feed (@TBLightningFeed) February 27, 2014
Sadly, for Bolts fans saw their long-standing captain was traded to the New York Rangers, where he finished his career in 2015. St. Louis was a mentor to a young Steven Stamkos, who is another player that appears to have some issues with the organization.
For Stamkos, in a contract year where it was reported he would be a top priority to shore up during the offseason, the waters remain still in spite of a ramped up rumor mill. The fact that he has not been signed by the Lightning seems to be indicative of some kind of internal issue, as there is virtually no team in the league that wouldn’t want a player like Stamkos on their roster.
Drouin And Bolts At An Impasse
For Drouin, he was drafted in 2013 with the third pick and was expected to make an instant impact with the Bolts. Everyone believed that Stamkos and Drouin were two of the foundation players that the Bolts would be built around for years to come, and now the organization is faced with the possibility of losing both of them.
The question remains, for a team that rose so high last season, how have they fallen so far. The Bolts drop in the standings may be the most telling, and perhaps a result of the unrest among some of their most promising players.
Without a doubt, the team is loaded with talent, but even six months ago it seemed unthinkable that either Drouin or Stamkos would ever play anywhere but Tampa. Now, it appears they may both be sporting new colors in different cities. Sooner, rather than later.
The fact remains, no matter how amazing the triplet line is, and no matter how tough Ben Bishop is between the pipes, this team will lose something if they give up Stamkos and Drouin.
Prepare For Some Tire Kicking
For Stamkos, they are likely to get back some significant pieces; However, with only this season left on his contract Stamkos is a rental player, and teams will probably be weary if they are looking for a long-term solution at center. Unless they have some guarantee that he will sign in the offseason.
Of course, there are a few teams who may be looking for a rental to make a push towards a Stanley Cup, much like the Blackhawks did last season with Antoine Vermette. Stamkos would be a very attractive piece to add to a contending team.
The Senators are among our 3 potential landing spots for Jonathan Drouin. https://t.co/FQpVnjna6G pic.twitter.com/YQQjbb4my8
— theScore (@theScore) January 3, 2016
For Drouin, the waters are a bit more murky. He is virtually handcuffed to the Lightning unless they decide to deal. Drouin is under contract until 2017, at which point he is a Restricted Free Agent (RFA).
As an RFA, the Bolts will still hold his rights and could make a departure more difficult. In fact, Drouin and his agent can demand trades all they want, but at the end of the day, Steve Yzerman and the Lightning hold all of the cards in this situation.
Regardless of which route the Bolts take, there will be plenty of tire kicking up until the final moments of the deadline; Or until someone pulls the trigger on an offer that Yzerman simply can’t turn down.
As the deadline nears, the rumors will catch fire and eventually Tampa will have to make a tough decision. Do you part with two players who were supposed to be cornerstones of the organization, or do you try to rectify whatever has caused the discontent?
