Lightning's Patience with Jonathan Drouin Paying Big Dividends in Postseason

It was not long ago that the Tampa Bay Lightning were in a quandary when it came to Jonathan Drouin.

The precise nature of the rift between player and team never fully became public, but in January, the schism between the two parties seemed unbridgeable. Drouin’s initially private trade request had gone public, the Lightning had exiled him to the AHL and then ultimately suspended him once he ceased to be willing to play for the Syracuse Crunch.

Not only did the 21-year-old want out less than three years after being drafted third overall by the Bolts, but it seemed clear that any trade would involve the Lightning taking pennies on the dollar.

Between the obvious pressure the team was under and the stigma of a player holding out, it was difficult to imagine a rival general manager doing Tampa Bay a favour.

Things have since changed.

After nearly two months out of the lineup, Drouin relented and returned to the Crunch. If there was any lingering resentment, it didn’t negatively affect his play. In fact, when Drouin returned in March, he was noticeably better. His AHL stat lines before and after his suspension are striking in their contrast:

• Pre-suspension: 7 games, two goals, three points, 16 shots
• Post-suspension: 10 games, nine goals, 10 points, 39 shots

Drouin’s playoff redemption wouldn’t have happened if not for his flexibility in returning to his AHL assignment. It also would not have happened without some flexibility from the Lightning.

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When team captain Steven Stamkos went down late in the regular season, there was an obvious need for an offensive player on Tampa Bay’s roster. It couldn’t have been easy for GM Steve Yzerman to bring up Drouin after all that had transpired, but the team needed him, and frankly, Drouin had earned the call-up.

On April 7, Drouin played his first NHL game of the 2016 calendar year, one of two he’d get in before the start of the playoffs. He scored in both games, doubling his goal count on the season from two to four.

Then Drouin kept going.

In the first round of the playoffs, he failed to score but did contribute four assists in a five-game series win over the Detroit Red Wings. He picked up the pace against the New York Islanders, scoring his first goal of the playoffs and putting up five points in five second-round games. Then he scored in each of the first two games against Pittsburgh.

To be sure, it hasn’t been a flawless performance. Drouin is under 50 percent by most on-ice shot metrics, and even by even-strength scoring, he has been good but not great.

Nearly half of his points have come on the man advantage—he has five power-play assists in the playoffs—making him less a two-way virtuoso and more a power-play specialist who can also chip in at five-on-five.

Nevertheless, Drouin has been better than the Lightning could have expected.

He has been an important part of a team that has now advanced to the third round of the playoffs, and in so doing, he has shown both a willingness to put the drama of 2015-16 behind him and the talent that makes him such an appealing player in the first place.

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From Tampa Bay’s perspective, Drouin’s strong play has had three separate positive outcomes.

First and most importantly, Drouin has helped the Lightning win in the playoffs. Injuries to Stamkos and No. 2 defenceman Anton Stralman meant that Tampa Bay entered the postseason as a bit of a dark horse, and now the Bolts are playing in the Eastern Conference Final.

Second, this presumably increases the likelihood of reconciliation between player and team. The Lightning didn’t draft Drouin third overall so that some other club could benefit from his prime years, and especially with the uncertainty over Stamkos’ contract (pending unrestricted free agent), there’s a need for a player with Drouin’s offensive ability.

Drouin’s success could go a long way toward repairing the damaged relationship, while Tampa Bay’s willingness to put him in a position to succeed should do the same.

Third, Drouin’s trade value has increased. He’s no longer just a disgruntled young player with potential. He’s a performer on hockey’s biggest stage. There isn’t a general manager in the league who doesn’t know what he’s done in the playoffs, and there probably aren’t many who couldn’t find a spot for Drouin on their roster.

If the Lightning ultimately decide that trading Drouin is in the team’s best interest, it’s going to be much easier to find a palatable offer now than it would have been in January.

This situation could have ended very badly for the Lightning.

Instead, Drouin is helping the team win hockey games, rehabilitating his reputation, increasing his trade value and just maybe opening the door toward a repaired relationship between player and club.

As a result, there’s a far better chance of a positive outcome now than there was only a few months ago.

Statistics courtesy of NHL.com and Corsica.

Jonathan Willis covers the NHL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter for more of his work.