Canadiens might not be a good fit for Jonathan Drouin

The Montreal Canadiens might be interested in Jonathan Drouin but they might not be the best fit for the young forward

The Montreal Canadiens are very interested in trading for Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jonathan Drouin. It’s understandable why Montreal is so interested in Drouin. He’s a talented young forward who is still dirt cheap. He’s the type of player who could help the Habs win both now and in the future.

He will likely still be cheap for at least the next two to three years, depending on how long his first restricted free agent contract is (his entry-level contract is up after the 2016-2017 season). However, Sportsnet analyst Elliotte Friedman thinks that the Canadiens might not be a great fit for Drouin.

“Honestly,” Friedman said, via Sportsnet, “I think the worst thing that could happen to Drouin is to be traded to Montreal because he’s going to walk in there and they’re going to expect him to be the savior”.

Friedman brings up an excellent point. There might not be a more high-pressure environment in the league from both the media and the fans than in Montreal. The Montreal media has done a number on numerous players and the expectations are sky-high among fans virtually every year. That might not be ideal for Jonathan Drouin at this stage in his career.

It’s unquestionable that the Canadiens could use a talent like Drouin. However, would he succeed in such a high-pressure environment? That’s a legitimate concern and it’s one that Montreal will have to weigh if they want to trade for him.