Tribute There Goes Our Hero : Jonathan Drouin

[OnTheRun]

NBA players can also make a fortune playing for any team in the league but you don't see them shy away from the big markets. They don't demand to leave the Lakers or the Celtics so that they can play anonymously in Utah.

People love to talk about how tough NHL players are but they are psychologically the weakest athletes in pro sports. Must be why they also have no personality and give the blandest interviews. No wonder the NHL can't market itself at all.

Hence the difference with the NHL... You don't have to go to Utah to get that and you can remain fairly anonymous in big market like LA or the 3 teams in the NYC area.

It come to accessibility, it's just not that hard to find a market that will provide it and is arguably a top notch organization in the NHL (TB and so on.)

 

[OldCraig71]

It’s only a rebuilding team as long as Geoff says it is. How long more do you figure he’s going to wait?

I predicted last year that he would give them one more season with no playoffs and with next year's free agent crop being stronger than this one, we could see them try to sign some players. Sam Reinhart would be a great add, that dude was a force in the playoffs for the Panthers but who knows, he and some others might not make it to that point.

 

[themilosh]

NBA players can also make a fortune playing for any team in the league but you don't see them shy away from the big markets. They don't demand to leave the Lakers or the Celtics so that they can play anonymously in Utah.

People love to talk about how tough NHL players are but they are psychologically the weakest athletes in pro sports. Must be why they also have no personality and give the blandest interviews. No wonder the NHL can't market itself at all.

Then pk shows up and gets run out of town.

 

[CalgarySnow]

Was never a fan of him, the trade, ll look at what we gave up. But I wish him well and hope his mental health is better. I just don’t think he adapted to the NHL, he didn‘t seem to change what he did in Juniors which doesn’t work in the NHL

 

[ZUKI]

Hughes was forced to trade Lehkonen because the Habs didn't have the cap space to re-sign him with the mess that Bergevin left behind, and he received decent value for what Leks was. Newhook for two picks that more likely than not do not become NHL regulars wasn't a fleecing.

Anything. Yeah , Bergevin is responsible because he is the one who has created the Covid-19 , that resulted in a big lost of money . Bergevin did it in the purpose of putting his successor in troubles

 

[Whalers Fan]

Anything. Yeah , Bergevin is responsible because he is the one who has created the Covid-19 , that resulted in a big lost of money . Bergevin did it in the purpose of putting his successor in troubles

The pandemic hit in earnest in March 2020. Gallagher's contract was signed in October 2020, Armia's in July 2021, and Hoffman's in July 2021. Don't blame covid for these bad contracts that the Habs still cannot dump.

 

[BLONG7]

It wasn't unlucky it was a stupid trade made to placate fans.


As do I, he was put into a really tough situation.

Placate the fans..............especially the ones in the media in Montreal.
Some irony here................Sergachev will start earning 8.25M this season ( too much ) and Jo will make 825k this year............
Boy, was that a brutal trade. We lost six years, and a top Dman.

 

[CHwest]

Anything. Yeah , Bergevin is responsible because he is the one who has created the Covid-19 , that resulted in a big lost of money . Bergevin did it in the purpose of putting his successor in troubles

Not really, he did it because he just wasn't that sharp.

 

[Andy]

Full disclosure: I originally thought this was a good trade...until we did nothing to surround Drouin with talent and bring him in solely. We let Radulov and Markov walk and got no additional offensive help.

He came into such a bad situation. Maybe he never had the talent or drive to be a star, but we also plopped him into a very, very difficult situation.

Good luck in Colorado.

 

[Belial]

Full disclosure: I originally thought this was a good trade...until we did nothing to surround Drouin with talent and bring him in solely. We let Radulov and Markov walk and got no additional offensive help.

He came into such a bad situation. Maybe he never had the talent or drive to be a star, but we also plopped him into a very, very difficult situation.

Good luck in Colorado.

I wouldn't be surprised one second if he goes PPG next season in Colorado.

 

[Andy]

I wouldn't be surprised one second if he goes PPG next season in Colorado.

I would be very surprised actually. His wrist seems to never have healed properly and he can't shoot very well. Unless he's putting up 70 assists, it's unlikely he's going to be a PPG player.

Getting 70 assist is very rare. Very few active players have done it.

I could see Drouin scooping up assists on the PP to get in the 50-55 point range.

 

[Belial]

I would be very surprised actually. His wrist seems to never have healed properly and he can't shoot very well. Unless he's putting up 70 assists, it's unlikely he's going to be a PPG player.

Getting 70 assist is very rare. Very few active players have done it.

I could see Drouin scooping up assists on the PP to get in the 50-55 point range.

I guess it depends on where he gets slotted.

Imagine they try him with his junior buddy and Rantanen... 70 assists are not so out of the question all of a sudden.

 

[Andy]

I guess it depends on where he gets slotted.

Imagine they try him with his junior buddy and Rantanen... 70 assists are not so out of the question all of a sudden.

Here are the current active players that have scored 70 assists in a single season (not counting anyone that has done 80)

McDavid
Malkin
Draisaitl
Gaudreau
Panarin
Wheeler
Crosby
Josi
Karlsson

70 assists is such an historic feat. It's extremely, extremely unlikely.

Active players who have scored 80 assists:
McDavid
Kucherov
Crosby
Huberdeau

70 assists is such unreal expectations for a guy who has never even his 40 assists in a single season.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Not really, he did it because he just wasn't that sharp.

Even that doesn't explain the Gallagher contract. The only explanation for the construction of that contract is that both he and Gallagher wanted to ensure he could never be traded.

 

[Belial]

Here are the current active players that have scored 70 assists in a single season (not counting anyone that has done 80)

McDavid
Malkin
Draisaitl
Gaudreau
Panarin
Wheeler
Crosby
Josi
Karlsson

70 assists is such an historic feat. It's extremely, extremely unlikely.

Active players who have scored 80 assists:
McDavid
Kucherov
Crosby
Huberdeau

70 assists is such unreal expectations for a guy who has never even his 40 assists in a single season.

70 assists might be pushing it, I will concede you that point, but our own beloved Artturi went from 0.38 P/GP while he played for us to 0.75 P/GP since he joined the Avalanche.

Drou Drou even with all the criticism and injuries and his personal issues still produced when he was on the ice.

0.58 P/GP in 321 GP for the Habs...

 

[Andy]

70 assists might be pushing it, I will concede you that point, but our own beloved Artturi went from 0.38 P/GP while he played for us to 0.75 P/GP since he joined the Avalanche.

Drou Drou even with all the criticism and injuries and his personal issues still produced when he was on the ice.

0.58 P/GP in 321 GP for the Habs...

So a 47 point pace in his time with the habs? As I said, I can see him hitting 50-55 points on the Avs on the PP with Makar, MacKinnon, and Rantanan, with 60 being an outside possibility.

 

[Belial]

So a 47 point pace in his time with the habs? As I said, I can see him hitting 50-55 points on the Avs on the PP with Makar, MacKinnon, and Rantanan, with 60 being an outside possibility.

We'll see, Lehkonen basically doubled his production down there...

And you think he'll only get a couple more points than he did during his stint here? Ok...

 

[Andy]

We'll see, Lehkonen basically doubled his production down there...

And you think he'll only get a couple more points than he did during his stint here? Ok...

That doesn't really mean anything though. How Lehkonen performed on a new club doesn't really tell us how Drouin will fair being on a new club. It's all about roles, fit, and a player's development curve.

You could easily argue that Lehkonen was not done developing, as his production rate increased to 0.38ppg to 0.5 ppg in his final year with the habs.

Drouin hasn't really showed any development curve has regressed since his first couple of seasons with the habs going from a career high with the habs of .65ppg to 0.5 ppg last year.

 

[Belial]

That doesn't really mean anything though. How Lehkonen performed on a new club doesn't really tell us how Drouin will fair being on a new club. It's all about roles, fit, and a player's development curve.

You could easily argue that Lehkonen was not done developing, as his production rate increased to 0.38ppg to 0.5 ppg in his final year with the habs.

Drouin hasn't really showed any development curve has regressed since his first couple of seasons with the habs going from a career high with the habs of .65ppg to 0.5 ppg last year.

Drouin was riddled with injuries and personal issues stuff... It's tough to really evaluate. The fact that he was still putting in close to half a point per game is actually something.

Well, we'll have to wait and see! Cheers!

 

[ZUKI]

NBA players can also make a fortune playing for any team in the league but you don't see them shy away from the big markets. They don't demand to leave the Lakers or the Celtics so that they can play anonymously in Utah.

People love to talk about how tough NHL players are but they are psychologically the weakest athletes in pro sports. Must be why they also have no personality and give the blandest interviews. No wonder the NHL can't market itself at all.

Hockey is the poor pro leagues in US. And the offers for other sports are everywhere, so in a city like N.Y. the number of pros athletes is far bigger than what we have here. The Québec province is a unique market because of the language of most of the fans and because of historic dynasties. Hockey is a religion and the offers for other pro-leagues isn't comparable to other cities.
Drouin was still a projet when he was put in a position to transport the Habs offensive, with in addition , the pressure of being the "next Guy Lafleur" . Then he was injured again and again...Not being able to produce has destroyed Drouin's confidence, because he wanted so much to BE The GUY but never delivered . There is no comparaison here with Y or X playing for the Yotes.

70 assists might be pushing it, I will concede you that point, but our own beloved Artturi went from 0.38 P/GP while he played for us to 0.75 P/GP since he joined the Avalanche.

Drou Drou even with all the criticism and injuries and his personal issues still produced when he was on the ice.

0.58 P/GP in 321 GP for the Habs...

That. Considering that he played lot of games with his wrists problem, his production isn't as bad as people are saying.
In fact, with all the injuries the team had in the last 3 seasons, i think that most of the players have under-performed. When you never play with the same guy, you can't develop chemistry.
We will see this season what is the real Habs , if they can play in health

 

[Team_Spirit]

His game fell off after this hit.

Avs seems to love injuried projects they also signed Miles Wood who had concussions and hips injuries.

 

[Conflicted Habs fan]

He'll be back

 

[Whalers Fan]

I wouldn't be surprised one second if he goes PPG next season in Colorado.

Personally, I would be shocked.

 

[Belial]

Personally, I would be shocked.

If they indeed put him next to Mac and Rantanen...

 

[JianYang]

Its not his ability to have a major bounce back with that cast of players in Colorado that I doubt.

What I seriously doubt is if he can' stay healthy enough to realize it.