The Tampa Bay Lightning have reassigned Jonathan Drouin to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL, the team announced on Saturday.
The team will also get forward Ondrej Palat back in the lineup, according to the Star Tribune’s Michael Russo.
Palat factors into Drouin’s reassignment. Palat’s return gives the team 14 forwards. With Jonathan Marchessault has been playing well, it may have sealed Drouin’s fate. Marchessault would require waivers to go to the AHL, while Drouin still doesn’t.
But the fact that waivers matters for Drouin is telling of deeper issues and a sense that the Lightning aren’t thrilled with Drouin’s play.
The production hasn’t been there for the former number three overall draft pick, which has made it tough to give Drouin consistent top minutes and the kind of situations he needs to develop. He’s also been injured a couple times this year, leading him to play just 19 games so far with two goals and eight points.
Just passed by a very unhappy looking Jonathan Drouin who said he is on his way to @SyracuseCrunch #TBLightning #SyrCrunch
— Lightning Insider (@Erik_Erlendsson) January 2, 2016
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