How Stupid is the Tampa Bay Lightning Front Office?

    On June 30, 2013 with the 3rd overall pick, the Tampa Bay Lightning drafted Jonathan Drouin of the Halifax Mooseheads. Drouin's fellow Moosehead and best buddy, Nathan MacKinnon, went first in the draft to the Colorado Avalanche. The first surprise came when the Florida Panthers took Aleksander Barkov over Drouin with the 2nd pick. Although both great players, I believed that Drouin had the edge over Barkov and figured that if the Panthers did not take Seth Jones, they would use their pick on Drouin.

   Drouin attended the Lightning's training camp as expected, but the second shocker came when the Lightning decided to send him back to his QMJHL team. Players just drafted can't go to the AHL and if sent back to their junior team, cannot be called back to the NHL until the following season. 

   Now the biggest shocker of all... Jonathan Drouin has 44 points in just 18 games. That's an average of 2.44 points per game. And the QMJHL is no joke. Each year, some of the best draftees come out of Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

   Now dealing with an injured Steven Stamkos, the Lightning front office must be absolutely kicking themselves for passing over Jonathan Drouin who is busy tearing up his junior league. Hopefully the Lightning will take into account how Drouin has utilized this season and we'll get to see him in the big leagues next year where he deserves to be.