Value of: Future of Jonathan Drouin

[Five Alarm Fire]

Back off Avs fans, he's our reclamation project

 

[57special]

Whatever his contract is going to be, it’s definitely going to be with a small term, and for a small amount. Most GM’S will be scared off by his inability to stay on the ice, and he is too old to considered to have untapped potential.

When I think of all the threads about him when he was in Tampa.

 

[c_mak]

I would like to see Ottawa offer him a contract. Under Giroux's tutelage he might find soem success

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

I think Chicago makes sense, similar to how they signed Domi/Athanasiou this year to fill out their roster.

Cheap one year deal with no pressure and gets to play with Richardson who he's familiar with.

 

[Avsavsavsavsavs]

Every year this happens where Drouin is linked to Colorado because of his junior #'s with Mackinnon, and it never happens. The Avs have probably had multiple opportunities to acquire Drouin with retention yet it never happens. The guy is terrible defensively and very clearly doesn't fit the Avs system in that regard.

If any coach/system could do it it would be Bednar/the Avs and considering the success with Nichuskin and how terrible the depth is this year they should, but they wont.

 

[Ovi895]

Both Drouin and Gurianov will go to Colorado for league minimum. Drouin to be mentored on how to be a real gud pro by MacKinnon and Gurianov to undergo the ruined Russian Dallas winger rehabilitation program under Nichushkin. Come next spring Colorado has the second coming of Alex Tanguay and another Nichushkin making less combined than your backup goaltender.

Every year this happens where Drouin is linked to Colorado because of his junior #'s with Mackinnon, and it never happens. The Avs have probably had multiple opportunities to acquire Drouin with retention yet it never happens. The guy is terrible defensively and very clearly doesn't fit the Avs system in that regard.

If any coach/system could do it it would be Bednar/the Avs and considering the success with Nichuskin and how terrible the depth is this year they should, but they wont.

No worse than Galchenyuk

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Haven''t watched a lot of him but I liked what I saw from him last time I watched him, was skating well moving his feet and was chipping the puck behind the dman and chasing, not trying stupid fancy shit at the blue line.

if he can play like that he can stick around the league

 

[ole ole]

I will try to find the link but sometime over the weekend i read a piece where he said himself he would like to stay a Hab.

 

[General Fanager]

Could see him signing a year or two with the Ducks, unlikely to go to a contender though.

I see it as the exact opposite. He can play down the line up for real cheap. He can also fill in on the top 2 lines to cover injuries.

 

[pth2]

Both Drouin and Gurianov will go to Colorado for league minimum. Drouin to be mentored on how to be a real gud pro by MacKinnon and Gurianov to undergo the ruined Russian Dallas winger rehabilitation program under Nichushkin. Come next spring Colorado has the second coming of Alex Tanguay and another Nichushkin making less combined than your backup goaltender.

Drouin being a B version of Tanguay is more likely than Gurianov amounting to anything, IMO.

 

[Seb]

I will try to find the link but sometime over the weekend i read a piece where he said himself he would like to stay a Hab.

Don't need to find an article, like I said in the original post, he did it during the end of season interviews.

That being said, I very much doubt HuGo wants him back. He doesn't fit in their plan.

 

[BLNY]

If he still wants to play, he'll get a deal. That deal will likely be bonus-laden; $1-1.5 million plus the same in bonuses. One year.

 

[Kshahdoo]

As far as I understand they speak French in Switzerland...

 

[WarriorofTime]

10 goals over the last three seasons in 136 games played. From a Wing. Just can't have that. His main value is as a Tank Team PP2 Set-Up Man that you know will not play close to a full season. Which is like.. why bother? He is already 28 now.

He should likely go to Europe.

I would like to see Ottawa offer him a contract. Under Giroux's tutelage he might find soem success

Tutelage? He's 28... he'd be one of the older guys on Ottawa.

 

[SEALBound]

I think with a less demanding contract, signing with a team that has low expectations could really help him.

 

[Beendair Donedat]

He’ll be in next years Tim Hortons commercial with McDavid… only Drouin will be in the window making the coffee

He’d manage to screw that up too… he’s almost Air Canada-esque in that regard.

 

[biturbo19]

I think if he wants to continue playing, he'll have plenty of suitors on a cheap 1-year deal. Key as mentioned, is where he was the "want to" anymore.

He'd probably still draw a bit of attention of bottom-feeder teams with a ton of minutes and opportunity to offer. Where he'd get a shot at top PP time, prime offensive minutes, whatever.


But i'd like to see him go to a more veteran team looking for a cheap "high upside" reclamation project. There'd surely be some of those too.

Colorado makes sense to me. Chance to play with Nate, in a supporting role without a lot of pressure to produce, but a high flying system that might actually help find some productivity.

Pittsburgh is the one that immediately comes to mind though. They're in a really tough spot and could use an infusion of cheap talent. Who knows if it'd work or not, but the chance to potentially play with Crosby/Malkin still seems like an attractive proposition, and it could be the thing he needs to bring out the raw talent that he presumably does still actually have (and has shown flashes of when he's healthy).


Nashville seems like a possibility who could take a chance on skill now that they've moved out expensive Granlund from that sort of role where Drouin might do well.

Carolina seem to take chances on guys and could use some more skill as well. Though i have a hard time envisioning Drouin thriving in that system.

St.Louis would also be a possibility. He'd offer some high-upside/low-downside skill to whatever is going on with their Retool.

Even Minnesota would be interesting if they think he can play Center. With their buyout imposed cap crunch tightening the belt.


But there are probably a few tank teams like Arizona and Chicago that would take a flyer with rosters that need to be filled out with someone.

 

[Cowumbus]

Pittsburgh for cheap

 

[Habsrule]

He will find another NHL contract next year. He has proven to be a half a PPG player over the last few years. He will sign a one year, one million dollar contract with some smaller market team. That way he can live a normal life and not many people will recognize him.

If he signs a contract like that there is pretty much no risk to it. If he stays in the NHL then you get great value for his contract. If he doesn’t play well then you can bury him in the AHL and not have his cap count again y the cap.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

I doubt he gets more than a PTO that maybe leads into a Galchenyuk-esque contract.

Colorado seems like the perfect landing spot for him to maybe revitalize his career.

 

[Gaud]

I feel he is absolutely good enought for the nhl. I also think that he will play much better in a market with low media and fan pressure. Amazing hands, good vision, he's been playing decent at C, recently (though dont get me started on players that play great when their contracts are up). I blame bergevin for the hatred of Drouin in Montreal; if he had been evaluated properly, he wouldnt have had a contract that suggests he will be returning top 6 numbers. At 2.5 M and 3rd line minutes, he may have been treated better.

I think if Galchenyuk can find employment year after year, that a team will take a chance on him for a one year deal at low wages. I predict Colorado (who have given Galchenyuk and Hudon chances) or Anaheim.

 

[Hasbro]

He said he had to change how he plays since the surgeries. He barely shoot, he has 69 shots on goal this season.

Nice.

 

[beowulf]

I am sure he will find a 1 year deal somewhere and I would not be surprised that once out of the Montreal pressure cooker he will see a revival of his career of sorts. I don't think he will ever be the point per game player that many in Montreal, especially some of the French media, was expecting of him but a 15 goal 50 point player is still very possible.

 

[loadie]

As long as he’s no where near the Habs again, I’ll be very happy

 

[abo9]

I'd resign him in Montréal for 3M$/1Y

We pay Mike Hoffman 4.5M$, Drouin is a better player than him for damn sure

Why not doubling down on our mistakes? We paid Alzner 4M+ and any defenseman in the league was better, better give Victor Mete 3.5M

Drouin the hockey player just isnt very good at this point of his career. He had the talent and perhaps without jnjuries could have carved a longer career as a 50-60 pts scorer, but it just didnt happen.

I also fail to see why so many people link him to Colorado, why would they want him?