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Lightning seeks clear path for Drouin success

 
Jonathan Drouin will be out 3-4 weeks due to a slight fracture in his right thumb. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
Jonathan Drouin will be out 3-4 weeks due to a slight fracture in his right thumb. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
Published Oct. 12, 2014

TAMPA — No one wants to see touted wing prospect Jonathan Drouin make his NHL debut more than … Drouin himself.

After all, the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2013 had to spend another year in juniors after getting sent down at the end of camp last season. But even Drouin, 19, understands why this year the Lightning is taking the path of patience as he recovers from a right thumb fracture. "It's been a lot of waiting to play here," he said. "But there's nothing I can do about it. There's no point in rushing."

When Drouin suffered the injury on a freak fall in practice Sept. 18, he was expected to be out three to four weeks. Three weeks was Thursday's season opener, and though Drouin could have played, the Lightning is waiting a little longer, saying it will know more Monday or Tuesday when he'll play. Drouin has practiced the past two weeks, feeling almost normal with his shooting and stickhandling, but he has yet to be a part of line rushes and contact drills.

Considering Drouin didn't play in the preseason and is making the jump from juniors, it's the smart move, especially with the Lightning's depth at forward.

"We need to put him in a position where he can see optimal success," coach Jon Cooper said. "If we truly needed him this second, he could answer the bell. But we want to make sure he's NHL ready, that there's no lingering effects of anything on him. You can see he's whipping around (the ice) and he's got his stickhandling and all that, but the onus is on us to give him the best chance to succeed here."

You feel for Drouin, who did his part, entering camp in the best shape of his life — leaner, stronger, more mature. Watching his special skills on the ice, it's no surprise he's a preseason Calder Trophy candidate for rookie of the year. Someday he might dazzle as a playmaker on a line with captain Steven Stamkos. That time will come. But the Lightning — and Drouin — sees the bigger picture.

SLAP SHOTS: It's easy to understand why D Eric Brewer was upset he was a healthy scratch the first two games of the season, much less to hear Cooper say it was because the lineup he used gave the team the "best chance to win." But don't read much into the reports that Brewer, 35, in the final year of his deal, is being shopped; he has a no-trade clause and hasn't asked to be moved. The fact is, with the acquisition of Jason Garrison, Brewer is one of five left-shooting defensemen. … As tough as it was for the team to lose W Richard Panik on waivers to Toronto last week, the once-promising prospect was given every opportunity to stick. Maybe a fresh start will finally spark his search for consistency.