Jonathan Drouin quiet about trade demand, ready to focus on hockey

Two days after his agent went public about a November trade request, Jonathan Drouin met with the media in Syracuse and did not want to publicly discuss the situation.

"I'm not going to answer any questions about the trade request,'' Drouin said via Lindsay Kramer of Syracuse.com. "It's between my agent and Steve. The only thing I can do is play hockey here.’'

The Tampa Bay Lightning demoted Drouin on Saturday to the AHL’s Crunch after posting two goals and eight points in 19 games this season. It’s been a rough start to the career of the no. 3 overall pick in 2013. During his rookie season in 2014-15 he finished with 13:41 time on-ice after many were pinning him as a Calder Trophy favorite with dreams of seeing the QMHJL product alongside Steven Stamkos.

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said he is confident Drouin will get his game in place in Syracuse and be ready to contribute if and when the time calls for an NHL return.

One Lightning teammate who can relate to a rocky start to his career is Stamkos, who was famously stapled to the bench at the start of the 2008-09 season by Barry Melrose. Once Melrose was dismissed, he began to see an increase in ice time and completed his rookie year with 23 goals and 46 points.

"I think guys realize what has gone on since Jonathan has come into the league," Stamkos said via Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "I can certainly attest to coming in at that age, hoping for the best right away, and wanting certain things that you're accustomed to getting right away, whether you deserve it, whether some coaches give you a chance right away. Every organization, every coach has different view on it. You look back on those first two years … it sucked at the time, but I can speak from experience, it made me a better player, better person, just know how difficult it is in this league and what you have to do, and sometimes the break you get to be successful when you look back and say it was for the best.”

The mental aspect will be the toughest for the 20-year old Drouin. A top draft pick. High expectations coming in following a lights out junior career. And while you’re struggling as a rookie your team is going to the Stanley Cup Final and you’re in and out of the lineup.

Now that he’s away from Tampa and has already acknowledged he won’t be discussing the trade request, Drouin can simply focus on hockey now. He’ll get his first opportunity on Friday night to either begin the process of moving past this speedbump in his young career, like Stamkos did, or continue to remain feeling disenchanted toward the organization that could really benefit from his talent down the line.

- - - - - - -

Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy

MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY: