Jonathan Drouin’s public trade request kicked the rumor mill into high gear right out of the holiday break, and the recent success of last night’s opponent is a good indication why.
The parallels between Tyler Seguin and Drouin are evident, and like Seguin, Drouin has the potential to become an elite offensive producer that helps catapult his future team into the upper echelon of the NHL.
Drouin obviously has much to prove, but Lightning GM Steve Yzerman no doubt has Boston’s Seguin disaster dancing through his mind as he sorts through his options.
And though the pressure is mounting, Yzerman will likely wait this out for a few weeks for a couple reasons:
1) He was forced to deal with a similarly uncomfortable situation when captain Martin St. Louis forced his way to New York two years ago. And despite having only one negotiating partner then, Yzerman still landed a bounty of draft picks as well as Ryan Callahan from the Blueshirts. Yzerman exercised great patience in 2014 and reaped the rewards, so he’s likely to hold out for a godfather offer this time around, too.
2) The uncertainty around pending UFA Steven Stamkos still must be Tampa’s primary focus. If signs do point to Stamkos moving on, then the Lightning might suddenly become a little more generous in their treatment of Drouin and hope they can change his mind. And if Stamkos’ future is secured by the trade deadline, then parting with the sophomore could be a little more palatable.
Larry Brooks reported that Rangers GM Jeff Gorton has already been in communication with Yzerman regarding Drouin, which only makes sense – the Rangers desperately need a jolt and some offensive help. A deal isn’t out of the question, but there will very likely be better trade partners for the Lightning than New York.
For one thing, as Dave pointed out, Tampa is in as much cap trouble as the Rangers and will likely look to dump an overpaid player along with Drouin, which of course the Blueshirts couldn’t absorb.
Then there’s the reported asking price. Brooks thought Keith Yandle might be appealing to the Lightning as a rental, but Yandle’s value to the Rangers is ever increasing and they are currently in playoff position, while the Lightning is on the outside looking in. One could argue that having Yandle on board would be a sound backup plan for Tampa should Stamkos leave – assuming Yandle shows interest in south Florida, the Lightning could plan to invest the money allocated for Stamkos in Yandle and quickly retool around a quick puck moving Yandle and Victor Hedman-led blueline to go along with the struggling Triplets. But as far-fetched as that sounds is about how likely it is to happen.
The Blueshirts could create an intriguing package headlined by a young forward like Chris Kreider or Kevin Hayes, which could also save the team a few precious dollars, but Tampa is still likely to have better offers elsewhere. Every team in the league is taking stock of its trade chips right now and a club like the Avalanche has the puck moving defenseman the Lightning covet, Tyson Barrie, and might be keen on reuniting Drouin with former Halifax teammate Nathan MacKinnon. The Lightning also might find a match in Columbus for another malcontent, fellow 2013 first-rounder Kerby Rychel, as one of several pieces.
The point is, dealing a player like Drouin is tough, but the Seguin deal is fresh in the minds of all 30 GMs, so 29 are ready to pounce and Yzerman is licking his chops. The Rangers and Lightning completed a blockbuster deal just two years ago, so another swap between the two clubs can’t be dismissed outright. It’s likely that Gorton and Yzerman will stay in regular contact leading up to the trade deadline, but it’s hard to see this one coming to fruition.
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