Former Third Overall Pick Emerging as Potential Mitch Marner Replacement
Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
With Mitch Marner's future in doubt, Jonathan Drouin's name is quickly rising on the Leafs' radar and fans are already split.
While Brad Treliving takes note of all the potential options he has this summer when it comes to trades and free agents to improve his team, many are hoping he makes a big splash for someone like Aaron Ekblad or Brad Marchand.
However, he could do very well for himself by taking a look at some much cheaper options, and one of them that brings a lot of promise is Jonathan Drouin.
Toronto should target Jonathan Drouin to help with Mitch Marner's departure
While he's not the superstar player that he was expected to turn out to be, Drouin has carved himself out a very solid career.
Drouin, 30, has 374 points in 607 games (107G, 267A) spending time with Tampa Bay, Montreal, and Colorado.
The Daily Faceoff's Matt Larkin touched a bit on Drouin's potential as a free agent, and explained how being placed with a star player has certainly helped Drouin find his footing:
Drouin may feel like too much of a name brand for an all-value list. But «value» doesn't mean each player mentioned will sign a league-minimum deal; it simply means he could turn you a profit relative to his perceived worth.
Drouin's 37 points didn't attract much fanfare since they came in just 43 games during an injury-shortened campaign. But he remained one of the league's better playmakers, sitting 90th percentile in primary assist rate among 378 forwards who logged 500 or more minutes at 5-on-5.
He may be perceived as someone who can only play his best hockey alongside his major junior and Colorado teammate Nathan MacKinnon, but that's what could create the potential discount.
What player isn't better with MacKinnon, anyway? Given Colorado's cap squeeze, Drouin could be a casualty, and he could help another contender's top six and power play. - Matt Larkin
Drouin's 37 points didn't attract much fanfare since they came in just 43 games during an injury-shortened campaign. But he remained one of the league's better playmakers, sitting 90th percentile in primary assist rate among 378 forwards who logged 500 or more minutes at 5-on-5.
He may be perceived as someone who can only play his best hockey alongside his major junior and Colorado teammate Nathan MacKinnon, but that's what could create the potential discount.
What player isn't better with MacKinnon, anyway? Given Colorado's cap squeeze, Drouin could be a casualty, and he could help another contender's top six and power play. - Matt Larkin
It's not like Drouin wouldn't be able to find his next superstar player, that being either Auston Matthews or William Nylander, and might be just the addition Toronto needs.
Jonathan Drouin's fit with the Toronto Maple Leafs
Given that Colorado needs to make some room cap wise, and Drouin made only $2.5M this past season. If they are worried about that much of a cap crunch and bringing him back costs $3.5M or more, then it might be too much.
But for the Maple Leafs, who have a ton of cap and need to replace Mitch Marner then Drouin is perfect.
He could be signed to a multi-year deal for fairly cheap ($10.5M) while filling in Marner's top spot alongside Matthews and Matthew Knies, or be the secondary addition for William Nylander and a re-signed John Tavares.
Plus, there is a gaping hole in the Maple Leafs power play, and if the team wants to continue on with a five-man unit, then Drouin can fit in Marner's spot.
He isn't the most physical, and he won't blow you away by any means. But Jonathan Drouin's as good as any when it comes to playmaking, he's dirt cheap, and a great way to change that ever so important DNA.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 17 | 551 ANSWERS Former Third Overall Pick Emerging as Potential Mitch Marner Replacement Should the Maple Leafs sign Jonathan Drouin? | ||
| Yes | 183 | 33.2 % |
| No | 368 | 66.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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