Jonathan Drouin
The 25-year-old had one the best starts to his year with the Montreal Canadiens since his days in Tampa. The summer work he did with Dominque Ducharme was clearly playing off as he continuously looked to be a factor on the ice instead of a defensive liability or, even worse, a constant user of the disappearing act.
Drouin’s 7 goals and 8 assists for 15 points in 19 games were signs of greater things to come that year. Who knows what he would’ve finished at if those injuries didn’t come his way. Offensively, he was on pace for 30 goals and 64 assists, which would’ve set career highs in every category. However, the growth from an all-around game would’ve improved his stock in the organization, making him a pillar member of the team’s core.
Unfortunately, we all saw how he came back to the Habs. Although many hold Drouin and Paul Byron’s injuries as triggering points of the team’s year, he returned to a group that was in a sea of negativity.
Drouin returned to find less available minutes for him where he didn’t have the puck as much as he did before the injury. His shot generation took a dive while the number of goals scored against with him on the ice increased. And as fate would have it, a second injury saw Drouin taken out of the lineup once again.
With the Play-In Round, Drouin has a chance to reach that level of hockey he started the 2019-20 season with. The Montreal Canadiens should be looking for options to help improve their blueline, and Drouin hasn’t done enough yet to prove he should be untouchable. Increasing his output against the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin could be the test he’s needed.