Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

What Ifs On Jonathan Drouin

01/23/2016 at 8:59am EST

from Dave Hodge of TSN,

If Drouin lights it up in a new uniform and shows all the talent that made him the third overall pick in the 2013 draft, Tampa Bay is bound to look bad unless Yzerman lands similar value in a deal for Drouin. He’s the general manager of the year if he’s able to do that.

The other possibility where Drouin’s future is concerned would see him continue to struggle with his next team. That would surely brand him a flop, if he’s not considered that already, and Yzerman would forever be saddled with a draft decision gone wrong. The questions began as soon as Drouin’s name was called on that 2013 draft floor, because defenceman Seth Jones was everyone else’s idea of the best pick for Tampa Bay. Others the Lightning could have taken, and would love to have now instead of Drouin, included Sean Monahan, Rasmus Ristolainen, Bo Horvat, and Max Domi.

For the record, The Hockey News did a mock draft and prospect analysis in advance of the 2013 draft at Prudential Center and described Drouin as a “playmaking wizard”.

He was rated #3 in terms of his shot and NHL-readiness, and was at the very top of two other lists—best skill, and best hockey sense. The mock draft had him listed third as well, although it thought Jones would go number one.

Still, it’s not as though Tampa Bay was alone in its praise of Drouin.

read on for a look at Patrick Kane's season...

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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