As we reported, we knew a deal was pending with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Jonathan Drouin to the Montreal Canadiens and the deal was finally concluded today. The Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Jonathan Drouin and a sixth round pick in 2018 in exchange for blue chip prospect Mikhail Sergachev and a second round pick for 2018 also. The picks are conditional on Sergachev playing a minimum of 40 games for the Lightning.
Shortly after, Jonathan Drouin, agreed to a contract with Montreal of 6 years worth 33.5 million dollars. Drouin was a restricted free agent and it was mandatory for him to be signed prior to the deadline in order to be protected by Montreal before the expansion draft.
For Drouin, it is a dream come true. The native from Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec played all his minor hockey in Montreal as a young boy.
“It’s still surreal,” Drouin told reporters in Montreal. He was in town training when he received the call from agent Allan Walsh that he had been traded, telling Walsh it was “a dream come true.”
In 2016-2017, Jonathan Drouin played 73 games and recorded 21 goals with 32 assists for 53 points. Drouin, who’s still 22, will have a chance to be on the top-6 for the Canadiens and help an offense that desperately needed creativity and scoring punch.
In letting go Mikhail Sergachev, the Montreal are letting go a future star defenseman that will eventually develop to be a no.1 or no.2 defenceman with the Lightning. Sergachev, 19, played in the Memorial Cup this year with the Windsor Spitfires. In acquiring Sergachev, Steve Yzerman found a defenceman will be very affordable. He will likely make his NHL career debut with the Lightning on a an entry-level contract.
“There’s risk involved in every trade,” Yzerman reminded reporters.
Drouin was drafted third overall by the Lightning in 2013 while Sergachev was selected 9th by the Canadiens last June.
The signing of Drouin will undoubtedly have a ripple effect on who Montreal will keep and let go (Alexander Radulov). The Canadiens still have to decide on whether they want to keep right wing Alexander Radulov who will an unrestricted free agent 1st July, 2017. It has been rumored that negotiations between the Radulov clan and the Canadiens started last week. It is also rumored that the Radulov’s demands are still high.
