GDT: 12/9/14 - 7:30PM EDT - Washington VS Tampa Bay

[Leonardo87]

Cooper is going to ruin Drouin and I'm going to hate him for it

It's a little frustrating, and can understand the development and holding him back, but once he hits around 40 games, he should be getting top 6 mins, imo. The Stamkos line needs a play maker, and with the lack of depth in LW we are forced to play a 3rd line winger on the top line. Killorn has not been bad at all up there but could see the top line being, what it should be, a top line.

LOL @ Druined

 

[LightningStrikes]

Seen Drouin?

 

[Coopers Gum]

Seen Drouin?

Who?

 

[BohemianRhandomly]

To the guy saying we "have other talent to develop" - sorry, but the development of JT Brown is not as important to the future of this franchise as the development of Jonathan Drouin. Also, why not scratch Connolly or Paquette if the whole reason is to "get young guys in"?

My intention in saying that wasn't to suggest that Brown is anywhere near the investment as Drouin. There is a gulf of talent between the two, and I fully acknowledge that. But in fairness, there still are other young players that need some ice time, and if it means Drouin must sit out once in a while, the sky won't fall. No one has explained how missing a few games is going to "ruin" this prospect for the rest of his career, and I just don't see it.

Some here might not have the perspective of Cooper or those in his sphere who are in charge of his development, and it's easy to forget how very, very, VERY young nineteen years old is. Drouin's still a kid. There is a lot of maturation yet to take place with him, both physically and mentally, as well as emotionally. He could just as easily be "ruined" by being forced into the extreme pressure of top-line play night after night, if, by chance, he doesn't produce there. Bottom line, I trust Cooper to do the right thing by Drouin, as he has with all the other young players. I can wait to see Drouin shine - it doesn't have to happen right this second.

As far as sitting Connolly or Pacquette in his place, that's sensible. But I don't see Cooper doing anything different than he is now, which is to rotate the players so that no one has to sit in the box too many games in a row. I can't argue that method. I would rather he not sit Morrow in place of one of the kids (though I know that's not a popular stance), because the team is so very young overall; a veteran presence counts for something.

In the end, we are lucky to be in a position where we can dispute who sits out on game night. The alternative is that we get bitten by the injury bug hard enough to clear the press box, and I don't think anyone wants that. At least, I hope not. To me, we should be thanking our lucky stars that this team is as deep and as healthy as it is right now, even if it means we sit our star prospect once in a while. In the grand scheme of things, that shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[DFC]

My intention in saying that wasn't to suggest that Brown is anywhere near the investment as Drouin. There is a gulf of talent between the two, and I fully acknowledge that. But in fairness, there still are other young players that need some ice time, and if it means Drouin must sit out once in a while, the sky won't fall. No one has explained how missing a few games is going to "ruin" this prospect for the rest of his career, and I just don't see it.

Some here might not have the perspective of Cooper or those in his sphere who are in charge of his development, and it's easy to forget how very, very, VERY young nineteen years old is. Drouin's still a kid. There is a lot of maturation yet to take place with him, both physically and mentally, as well as emotionally. He could just as easily be "ruined" by being forced into the extreme pressure of top-line play night after night, if, by chance, he doesn't produce there. Bottom line, I trust Cooper to do the right thing by Drouin, as he has with all the other young players. I can wait to see Drouin shine - it doesn't have to happen right this second.

As far as sitting Connolly or Pacquette in his place, that's sensible. But I don't see Cooper doing anything different than he is now, which is to rotate the players so that no one has to sit in the box too many games in a row. I can't argue that method. I would rather he not sit Morrow in place of one of the kids (though I know that's not a popular stance), because the team is so very young overall; a veteran presence counts for something.

In the end, we are lucky to be in a position where we can dispute who sits out on game night. The alternative is that we get bitten by the injury bug hard enough to clear the press box, and I don't think anyone wants that. At least, I hope not. To me, we should be thanking our lucky stars that this team is as deep and as healthy as it is right now, even if it means we sit our star prospect once in a while. In the grand scheme of things, that shouldn't be a big deal.

The problem is that that contradicts what the team has actually said about prospect development. Yzerman has said he doesn't want Drouin in and out of the lineup, but here we are. Rob Zettler has said the best place for a prospect is wherever he's going to play the most.

The fact remains we have other options for pressbox duty, which not only helps us in the short term, because Drouin looks more dangerous than them, but also in the long term, because Drouin is just the bigger investment. He makes a defenseman look bad on pretty much a nightly basis despite his limited minutes. The only other guy doing that with any consistency is Tyler Johnson.

In regards to other players, there's no real comparison to be made. Guys like Palat, TyJo, and Killorn were all getting plenty of playing time at Drouin's age in other leagues. So we can't say, "Cooper's method didn't hurt them." The closest comparison we have is Kucherov, last year, but he didn't start seeing pressbox duty until his confidence got shaken and he became ineffective on the ice. Drouin is still dangerous on pretty much a nightly basis, and yet the result in his playing time is the same as if he were underperforming.

 

[Obviously]

No one has explained how missing a few games is going to "ruin" this prospect for the rest of his career, and I just don't see it.

The kid is constantly walking on eggshells. Remember the first game Drouin had? He was out there dazzling and controlling the game every shift, it was incredible. Now that he has been demoted to a checking line and scratched every time he has a subpar game I can guarantee that he will go for the dump and chase before he even thinks about going for a deke. The kid is on a leash that he doesn't deserve to be on, he is going to make mistakes, have turnovers and defensive errors but he is a competitor and I bet he will be his harshest critic on every mistake. Cooper isn't allowing him to make mistakes, and its going to change his game completely

 

[Sky04]

The kid is constantly walking on eggshells. Remember the first game Drouin had? He was out there dazzling and controlling the game every shift, it was incredible. Now that he has been demoted to a checking line and scratched every time he has a subpar game I can guarantee that he will go for the dump and chase before he even thinks about going for a deke. The kid is on a leash that he doesn't deserve to be on, he is going to make mistakes, have turnovers and defensive errors but he is a competitor and I bet he will be his harshest critic on every mistake. Cooper isn't allowing him to make mistakes, and its going to change his game completely

Another Seguin waiting to happen, you let offensive guys play not condem them for little defensive mistakes.

 

[BohemianRhandomly]

Most people on these boards aren't going to be happy unless Drouin is playing top line, 20:00 at least, every game. But a big part of being an NHL player is learning to play alongside lots of different types of players - we all would love to see Drouin with Stamkos, but what if Stamkos isn't there? As we know all too well, we can't count on our captain to be completely healthy for the rest of his career, and if Drouin is coddled to the point where he has no experience alongside "lesser-than-elite" linemates, it's not going to do him any favors long term. There is a lot for him to learn yet; he has barely been in the league six weeks.

Re: his first game - yes, he did look brilliant. But to call his subsequent games as a bottom six player a "demotion" wouldn't be correct - he was slotted into Stammer line for his first game because we had a rash of injuries at the time. It wasn't planned, it wasn't part of the game plan Cooper has for Jo.

As far as Drouin walking on eggshells, we can't assume he feels that way. Cooper has been very clear with him - and with the press - that there is nothing about Jo's game that has disappointed him, and that it's simply a case of depth and of being fair to all players involved. So there is no reason that Drouin would feel pressure to perform at any ridiculous level out of fear of displeasing Cooper. If Jo's feeling pressure, it's self-inflicted, and something he has probably imposed upon himself for the entire duration of his young career - the great players are always their own toughest critics. That's something he will have to work through on his own as part of his growth as an NHL player.

I can hear the eyeballs rolling out there as I say this , but I am dead serious: learning to cope with adversity is probably one of the most important psychological aspects of being an athlete, if not THE most. While we might not like seeing Drouin sit, it truly will benefit him (and the club) in the long run to develop mental toughness. It won't break him, if he's truly an elite.

 

[DFC]

Most people on these boards aren't going to be happy unless Drouin is playing top line, 20:00 at least, every game. But a big part of being an NHL player is learning to play alongside lots of different types of players - we all would love to see Drouin with Stamkos, but what if Stamkos isn't there? As we know all too well, we can't count on our captain to be completely healthy for the rest of his career, and if Drouin is coddled to the point where he has no experience alongside "lesser-than-elite" linemates, it's not going to do him any favors long term. There is a lot for him to learn yet; he has barely been in the league six weeks.

Re: his first game - yes, he did look brilliant. But to call his subsequent games as a bottom six player a "demotion" wouldn't be correct - he was slotted into Stammer line for his first game because we had a rash of injuries at the time. It wasn't planned, it wasn't part of the game plan Cooper has for Jo.

As far as Drouin walking on eggshells, we can't assume he feels that way. Cooper has been very clear with him - and with the press - that there is nothing about Jo's game that has disappointed him, and that it's simply a case of depth and of being fair to all players involved. So there is no reason that Drouin would feel pressure to perform at any ridiculous level out of fear of displeasing Cooper. If Jo's feeling pressure, it's self-inflicted, and something he has probably imposed upon himself for the entire duration of his young career - the great players are always their own toughest critics. That's something he will have to work through on his own as part of his growth as an NHL player.

I can hear the eyeballs rolling out there as I say this , but I am dead serious: learning to cope with adversity is probably one of the most important psychological aspects of being an athlete, if not THE most. While we might not like seeing Drouin sit, it truly will benefit him (and the club) in the long run to develop mental toughness. It won't break him, if he's truly an elite.

Then why does it fly in the face of what Yzerman says about developing players?

No one's saying 20 minutes per night. But it's a far cry from that to healthy scratch.

 

[Brie]

I just hope that someday we will look back at this time and laugh at how worried we were and not look back with regret of what could have been, that's all we really can do right now.

 

[BoltSTH]

2 things I am sure of:

1. SFY knows what he is doing
2. No one of this board (myself included) can grasp the full extent of the Yzerplan. You just have to accept that he does, and trust the outcome of any move he makes is the best for the team.

 

[Yzlamic Preacher*]

Most people on these boards aren't going to be happy unless Drouin is playing top line, 20:00 at least, every game. But a big part of being an NHL player is learning to play alongside lots of different types of players - we all would love to see Drouin with Stamkos, but what if Stamkos isn't there? As we know all too well, we can't count on our captain to be completely healthy for the rest of his career, and if Drouin is coddled to the point where he has no experience alongside "lesser-than-elite" linemates, it's not going to do him any favors long term. There is a lot for him to learn yet; he has barely been in the league six weeks.

Re: his first game - yes, he did look brilliant. But to call his subsequent games as a bottom six player a "demotion" wouldn't be correct - he was slotted into Stammer line for his first game because we had a rash of injuries at the time. It wasn't planned, it wasn't part of the game plan Cooper has for Jo.

As far as Drouin walking on eggshells, we can't assume he feels that way. Cooper has been very clear with him - and with the press - that there is nothing about Jo's game that has disappointed him, and that it's simply a case of depth and of being fair to all players involved. So there is no reason that Drouin would feel pressure to perform at any ridiculous level out of fear of displeasing Cooper. If Jo's feeling pressure, it's self-inflicted, and something he has probably imposed upon himself for the entire duration of his young career - the great players are always their own toughest critics. That's something he will have to work through on his own as part of his growth as an NHL player.

I can hear the eyeballs rolling out there as I say this , but I am dead serious: learning to cope with adversity is probably one of the most important psychological aspects of being an athlete, if not THE most. While we might not like seeing Drouin sit, it truly will benefit him (and the club) in the long run to develop mental toughness. It won't break him, if he's truly an elite.

One thing I don't sense from your post is that importance of what Drouin is to the organization. He is a very important cog in the machine now. Sitting him does nothing for his development. He needs to learn the defensive aspect of the game, and it's pretty easy to notice. He needs play time to develop it but sitting him isn't helping. He does need more time to play and play with better players because he will be a top 6 player.

Look at Connolly as an example. We kept him up in his first year because his junior team blew dog. It hurt Connolly's development, he didn't play too well, and wasn't ready for the big show. Drouin is the opposite, he is ready. Connolly's TOI in his first year was 11:30 minutes a game and he played 68. Drouin has almost as many points as Connolly did in his first season (4g 11a 15p) in a third of the games. The only apprehension I can see from not playing Drouin as much stems from the Connolly situation. Even though not very similar it is similar enough. Since Yzergod has taken over, aside from Drouin and Kucherov, Connolly is the only other prospect we moved up so quick. Connolly had to go back down to be rebuilt, that is something we don't want with Drouin. That is the only feasible reason I can see to sit him.

Drouin is miles ahead of any prospect we have had since Stamkos/Hedman. He is something special. He needs to play hockey to get better at hockey. Sitting a player like him doesn't seem like it will achieve anything. It's tough for us, a team with so much young talent, but none of that talent has the pure natural skill to become what Drouin can become.

 

[DFC]

2 things I am sure of:

1. SFY knows what he is doing
2. No one of this board (myself included) can grasp the full extent of the Yzerplan. You just have to accept that he does, and trust the outcome of any move he makes is the best for the team.

This is Cooper's decision though, not Yzerman's.

 

[BoltSTH]

This is Cooper's decision though, not Yzerman's.

You think SFY wound not have a few words with his coach if he needed to.

 

[Obviously]

You think SFY wound not have a few words with his coach if he needed to.

Judging by the MSL situation, no I don't

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Trust the Yzerplan.

All has been foreseen.

 

[HoseEmDown]

I look at the lineup and wonder who Drouin would replace anyway? Killorn plays well with Stamkos and not so much with Filpulla. The 2nd line isn't changing. With Filpulla on the 3rd we don't need another playmaker. Paquette does the grinding and Connolly is the shooter. He can replace Morrow or Brown on the 4th which he does but same games the prefer a all grind line. Just because he can dangle around defenders doesn't make him a great fit for each line.

 

[Brie]

The big question concerning Connolly is that he will be RFA this summer (as will Barberio and Sustr) and with Stammer being able to sign a new contract as well maybe a possible trade involving Connolly could be part of that as well becuase even if he's RFA and not UFA it's still a new contract that Yzerman have to take into consideration when it's time for Stammers new one which will be top priority, I dunno, who knows what Yzerman have up his sleeves.

 

[DFC]

You think SFY wound not have a few words with his coach if he needed to.

I don't think Yzerman micromanages that much. He's quick to say "that's a coaching decision" in interviews. I think part of Yzerman's brilliance is that he delegates and lives with his underlings' decisions. If Yzerman is involved in this decision, it's a case of him saying one thing and doing another, which is something pretty rare for him.

 

[Yzlamic Preacher*]

So this is our bounce back game after that dismal showing against Columbus. Here is hoping for the best. Might not be around the whole game. Today is my local pub's customer appreciation night to which I have been invited. I put some of their kids through college.

 

[HoseEmDown]

The big question concerning Connolly is that he will be RFA this summer (as will Barberio and Sustr) and with Stammer being able to sign a new contract as well maybe a possible trade involving Connolly could be part of that as well becuase even if he's RFA and not UFA it's still a new contract that Yzerman have to take into consideration when it's time for Stammers new one which will be top priority, I dunno, who knows what Yzerman have up his sleeves.

Stamkos can sign a contract this summer but it won't kick in till the 16-17 season anyway. We will need players like Connolly who can produce at a reasonable price. If we move him who will we bring will provide the same production at a cheaper price?

 

[Yzlamic Preacher*]

Stamkos can sign a contract this summer but it won't kick in till the 16-17 season anyway. We will need players like Connolly who can produce at a reasonable price. If we move him who will we bring will provide the same production at a cheaper price?

Drouin? Nammy? We have players who can produce that can come up. Connolly isn't exactly lighting it up yet to the point where he is mandatory to our offensive game.

 

[DFC]

Anyone hear Chief sounding sober on the radio? He's got all the classic Chiefisms, but he's enunciating.

 

[FinnLightning26]

One nice thing about being unemployed is getting drunk mid week for a Lightning game. So, I'm sorry already and please don't take me seriously.

 

[Yzlamic Preacher*]

Anyone hear Chief sounding sober on the radio? He's got all the classic Chiefisms, but he's enunciating.

Wait, Chief has a sober state? I am shocked and disappointed.

One nice thing about being unemployed is getting drunk mid week for a Lightning game. So, I'm sorry already and please don't take me seriously.