We’re less than a week removed from the raising of the Stanley Cup, but the NHL offseason already has its first major trade.
In a deal announced on Thursday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Lightning traded forward Jonathan Drouin to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defensive prospect Mikhail Sergachev and a conditional second-round draft pick in 2018. The Canadiens also get a conditional sixth-round pick from Tampa.
Drouin, 22, is an excellent young player who was selected third overall in the 2013 draft. But he has had his fair share of drama in Tampa Bay: During the 2015-2016 season, Drouin expressed frustrations with his role in the Lightning organization and was suspended after not reporting to the team’s minor league affiliate.