Lightning in turmoil?
Despite being a contender in the East, the Tampa Bay Lightning are having an issue with forward Jonathan Drouin. Is it impacting their championship outlook?
On Wednesday, the Lightning and GM Steve Yzerman announced that Drouin has been suspended by the team without pay after he refused to report to an AHL game for Tampa’s organization. Drouin’s agent indicated that the Lightning told his client he was in the process of being traded so he requested to not play in order to avoid injury, but the Lightning declined that option. Instead, Drouin elected to not show.
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, the Lightning are currently listed with 12/1 odds to win the Stanley Cup in 2016. The Lightning also have 5/1 odds to win the Eastern Conference Championship.
Tampa currently sits second in the Atlantic Division with 54 points, three points behind the Panthers for first. They are tied for the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference. Drouin, a left wing, is in his second season with Tampa. He has appeared in just 19 games this year and has two goals with six assists. Last season, Drouin recorded four goals and 28 assists in 70 games. He was the third overall pick by Tampa in the 2013 NHL Draft.
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