This article is part of our Ice and Fire series.
At the 2013 draft in New Jersey, Nathan MacKinnon was the prize for the Avalanche, as he went first overall. Also hearing their names called that day were Aleksander Barkov (second) and Seth Jones (fourth). With 23 points through 28 games, Barkov's having a solid season for the surging Panthers, who won their ninth straight game Sunday against Minnesota.
Halfway upstate from Barkov, 2013 No. 3 pick Jonathan Drouin is not enjoying the same sort of success with Tampa Bay. News broke on Sunday that Drouin had requested a trade from the Lightning back in November. The timing of the story, which came from Drouin's agent, isn't a coincidence, as the 20-year-old was assigned to AHL Syracuse on Saturday after managing just two goals and six assists in 19 games with Tampa. His numbers are even starker of late, as Drouin had just two points in his last 14 games before being demoted; this after he started the season with a goal and five helpers through five.
Drouin has been limited by nagging injuries this season, but he's also the only top-10 pick from the 2013 draft currently not playing in the NHL. He simply can't seem to find a place on the Lightning, as was the case in his draft year, when he was sent back to Halifax of the Q. Whether the Lightning will honor Drouin's trade request remains to be seen, but greener pastures could benefit the supremely talented winger. Players with first-round pedigree, even underachieving ones
At the 2013 draft in New Jersey, Nathan MacKinnon was the prize for the Avalanche, as he went first overall. Also hearing their names called that day were Aleksander Barkov (second) and Seth Jones (fourth). With 23 points through 28 games, Barkov's having a solid season for the surging Panthers, who won their ninth straight game Sunday against Minnesota.
Halfway upstate from Barkov, 2013 No. 3 pick Jonathan Drouin is not enjoying the same sort of success with Tampa Bay. News broke on Sunday that Drouin had requested a trade from the Lightning back in November. The timing of the story, which came from Drouin's agent, isn't a coincidence, as the 20-year-old was assigned to AHL Syracuse on Saturday after managing just two goals and six assists in 19 games with Tampa. His numbers are even starker of late, as Drouin had just two points in his last 14 games before being demoted; this after he started the season with a goal and five helpers through five.
Drouin has been limited by nagging injuries this season, but he's also the only top-10 pick from the 2013 draft currently not playing in the NHL. He simply can't seem to find a place on the Lightning, as was the case in his draft year, when he was sent back to Halifax of the Q. Whether the Lightning will honor Drouin's trade request remains to be seen, but greener pastures could benefit the supremely talented winger. Players with first-round pedigree, even underachieving ones who have fallen out of favor, tend to fetch a good return. The problem will be for Tampa Bay to convince another organization that it's trading for the Drouin who bagged 213 points over 95 games his final two years in juniors, not the one currently riding the bus in upstate New York.
Although he's been a disappointment, Drouin should provide value for whatever team is fortunate enough to land him. Trading your high draft picks early in their careers can be a recipe for disaster, as the Bruins would likely begrudgingly admit after the Tyler Seguin trade. Drouin has too much talent to stay in the AHL, and at his age, his career could go anywhere.
As for this season, he could be worth a stash in deeper leagues following this roster move. If you have room on your bench to grab a player whose playing time is tenuous at best when he's in the NHL, go for it – just don't expect much. Drouin may at best be a sign-and-stash candidate in keeper leagues even if he is traded. He has just 75 games of NHL experience, is a bit undersized and played in a mere six of the Lightning's 26 playoff games last season.
Rookies and recent draft picks are the shiny new toys for fantasy owners. Everyone wants one and everyone is convinced theirs will pan out. For every rookie that performs like MacKinnon did in his draft year, there are many more like Drouin who are sent back to juniors to gain a bit more experience. The fifth pick in 2013, Elias Lindholm, is only now starting to find his legs in the NHL after jumping straight from juniors. Despite strong defensive play, the aforementioned Jones isn't producing offensively like the Predators had hoped, but it's less of an issue for them thanks to the presences of Roman Josi and Shea Weber. Rasmus Ristolainen's game has matured and he's in the midst of his first big offensive season for the Sabres since being selected five picks after Drouin in 2013.
While Drouin is heading to a potentially short stint in the minors, Valeri Nichushkin returned with authority Sunday, bagging two goals – his first tallies since Dec. 11, a span of 12 games. Nichushkin is an incredibly talented player who's prone to peaks and valleys like all other young players. Consistent performances from Nichushkin could land him back on a line with Seguin and Jamie Benn; at worst, he'll see time with Patrick Sharp and Jason Spezza. He had just one assist in the last 12 games before Sunday's two-goal effort and saw his power-play time drastically cut, totaling just 13 seconds over a six-game span. He managed a mere 29 seconds on the man advantage in Sunday's tilt, but one of the two goals did come with the second power-play unit. If he receives more power-play time, Nichushkin could starting seeing his name on the scoresheet more.
Nichushkin did hit the waiver wires in some leagues during his December swoon, and he should be a target for owners seeking a quick fix on the wings. The Russian fell to the 10th pick in the 2013 draft despite having a skillset that warranted consideration in the first three to five picks. He has a huge body and skills that have drawn comparisons to Jaromir Jagr. Just look at his first goal Sunday, when he blocked a shot at the point and then held off a defender before fooling Thomas Greiss:
The cachet that gets attached to a high draft pick is undeniable. Like Drouin, Nichushkin is still just 20 and oozes potential; both retain strong value in keeper formats. Although Nichushkin is the short-term play thanks to the Stars' propensity for scoring, Drouin is far from damaged goods.
