Jonathan Drouin using healthy scratches as learning experience

COLUMBUS, Ohio —Steven Stamkos can relate to Jonathan Drouin. He too was a healthy scratch during his rookie season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. But that experience, plus the firing of Barry Melrose, helped him become the player who he is today.

So when the highly-touted Drouin struggled early on this season head coach Jon Cooper felt the 19-year old winger needed to watch instead of play. He also spoke with Stamkos about that experience and the captain told him how disappointing it was, but the time in the press box benefited him in the longrun.

That’s what Drouin is hoping, as through 37 games he only has two goals and 18 points. This after a summer of hype that featured many pegging him as a potential Calder Trophy winner.

Drouin, like many rookies when they enter the NHL, has gone through a learning experience. The game is faster. The opponents are bigger. It can be a challenge finding success after making the jump from junior.

“The one thing is it’s a hard league to come in and play,” Drouin said during NHL All-Star Media Day on Friday. “You’ve got to learn what’s going on a little bit. Even the road’s are a little harder when you go to other buildings. It’s different than juniors.”

But as Drouin works through the normal ups and downs or a rookie season, he’s able to do so without the pressure of feeling like his struggles are weighing down his team. The Lightning have the best record in the Eastern Conference at the All-Star break and there’s plenty of talent to carry the offensive load.

Drouin’s time in the press box made him see things that he wasn’t seeing out on the ice. It opened his eyes to what truly works at the NHL level and what he once could do in junior on a regular basis wasn’t going to come as easy.

“When you’re looking up there, there is more time than you think,” he said. “When you go to the NHL from juniors you think I’ll have that much time to make plays. Lately I’ve been realizing I still have time to make plays and sometimes maybe I’m just rushing a little too much.

“In junior you could make a homerun play out of nothing and it doesn’t really happen all that often in the NHL. The simple plays are often way better than homerun plays.”

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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

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