Jonathan Drouin

**Jonathan Drouin** (born on March 28, 1995 in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec, Canada) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL.

Drouin was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round (3rd overall) in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

## Playing Career

### Early Playing Career

As a youth, Jonathan played in the 2008 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Northern Selects minor ice hockey team. He was drafted second overall by the Halifax Mooseheads in the 2011 QMJHL Entry Draft.

After starting the 2011–12 season at the Midget AAA level with the Lac St. Louis Lions, it was announced on December 9, 2011, that Jonathan would join the Mooseheads.[4] In his first QMJHL game, against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, he recorded two assists, including a set-up of the game-winning goal.

Jonathan was also a key member of Halifax's 2012 playoff success, most notably scoring the overtime winning goal in Game 7 against the Quebec Remparts. On November 7, 2012, he represented Team QMJHL in Game 2 of the Subway Super Series against Russian junior players; he scored a goal and added three assists. He missed the first game of the series due to a foot injury.

At the conclusion of the 2012–13 season, Jonathan was named the CHL Player of the Year. He would continue to be an integral player for the Mooseheads during the 2013 playoffs, helping the team win the President's Cup and the 2013 Memorial Cup.

### Professional

On June 30, 2013, after his highly-successful season, Jonathan was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, third overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

On July 5, 2013, he was signed to a three-year contract by the Lightning; however, he was cut from the Lightning roster at the beginning of the 2013–14 season, returning to the Mooseheads for the QMJHL season.

During the Lightning's 2014–15 training camp, Jonathan sustained an injury; days later, on September 9, 2014, the Lightning announced that he would miss three-to-four weeks with a slight fracture in his thumb. On October 16, he was assigned to Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate team, the Syracuse Crunch, on a conditioning stint.

The rehabilitation assignment was initially slated for a maximum of two weeks, though it was stated he could be recalled prior to that timeline; however, just three days later on October 19, 2014 the Lightning recalled Jonathan from his conditioning assignment with the Crunch; he registered one goal, two assists and a +4 plus-minus rating during his AHL stint.

On October 20, 2014, he made his NHL debut against the Edmonton Oilers. The following day, on October 21, 2014, he recorded his first NHL assist on a Valtteri Filppula goal in Tampa Bay's 2–1 overtime victory over the Calgary Flames. He then scored his first NHL goal on October 24 against goaltender Ondrej Pavelec of the Winnipeg Jets.

On January 2, 2016, Jonathan was reassigned to the Syracuse Crunch. Due to injury, he had been limited to only 19 games in the 2015–16 season, and had only played in five games since mid-November.

Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman stated at the time there was no set date for his return to the NHL. Yzerman also stated: "[H]e's been dealing with a minor nagging injury that is finally healed. With everyone coming back at the same time, it's a good opportunity to get a young player a lot of ice time, get his game right back on top and bring him back at the appropriate time.

On January 3, 2016, Drouin's agent, Allan Walsh, issued a statement on his behalf, revealing that Jonathan had made a trade request in November 2015, but had kept the matter private. Walsh referred to it as an "untenable situation" and that it was in everyone's best interest that Drouin be allowed to move on and play hockey.

On January 20, 2016, the Lightning announced that Jonathan had been suspended indefinitely without pay for a failure to report to the Crunch's game against the Toronto Marlies that day. His agent Allan Walsh again issued another statement after the suspension was announced by the Lightning.

According to Walsh, a few days prior, the Lightning had informed Jonathan that a trade was close to being completed. Walsh proposed to the team that he not play due to the impending trade; however, the Lightning decided against this.

Walsh further stated Jonathan was not willing to risk being injured, and that due to the situation "it is clearly in the best interests that the Tampa Bay Lightning trade Jonathan as there is no reason for Jonathan to continue with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization in any capacity".

Lightning GM Steve Yzerman held a press conference the following day, denying Walsh's claim there was a trade nearing. Yzerman stated, "We've never said there was a pending deal or a deal close."

Yzerman further stated the Lightning were still "actively and aggressively trying to find a deal that works" to trade Jonathan. According to Yzerman, there was still "significant" interest from teams, but the way things have played out would make a trade more difficult to make. Yzerman also reiterated his point that he is working for the best interest of the team, and that his actions put no pressure on him to make a trade.

On March 8, 2016, Jonathan reported to the Crunch for the first time since he was suspended by the Lightning on January 20. He told the media he believed the relationship between him and the team was fine and that they would fix the situation over the summer. He also said he planned on putting in the work to try to gain a call-up.

On April 4, the Lightning recalled Jonathan from Syracuse after a nine-game stint. He had recorded nine goals and one assist during his recent stint with the Crunch. The same day, he recorded the game-winning goal in his return.

He helped the Lightning defeat the New Jersey Devils, which resulted in the Lightning clinching home ice for the opening round of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs. On April 15, he recorded his first career NHL playoff point in a 5–2 Lightning victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

On April 30, Jonathan recorded his first NHL playoff goal in a 4–1 Lightning win over the New York Islanders. He became the fourth Lightning player whose first NHL playoff goal was a game-winning goal.

On June 15, 2017, Jonathan was traded by the Lightning (along with a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2018) to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defensive prospect Mikhail Sergachev and a conditional 2018 second-round pick. As a restricted free agent, he was then promptly signed to a six-year, $33 million contract with the Canadiens. He took the number 92 jersey.

In his second season with the Canadiens, he matched his career-high points total despite only scoring two points in his final eighteen games. On May 1, 2019, he underwent surgery for a nose fracture, which forced him to withdraw from the 2019 IIHF World Championship.

Jonathan scored his first goal of the 2019-20 season in a 6-5 shootout victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He injured his wrist in a game against the Washington Capitals on November 15, 2019 (missing 37 games) and did not return to the lineup until February 8, 2020.

## International Play

Jonathan won a gold medal at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament as a member of Canada's under-18 team.

He later represented Canada's junior team, along with Mooseheads teammate Nathan MacKinnon at the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Ufa, Russia where Canada finished fourth.