The Montreal Canadiens are a team in the midst of a massive re-build, a tear down if you will. A year removed from losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final, they were the worst team in the National Hockey League this past season. One of the only good things to come out of their nightmare of a season was the fact that they were able to win the draft lottery and will select first in the upcoming NHL entry draft.
Major organizational shifts have already begun, but it seems they won't be stopping anytime soon. According to Hockey Insiderr, a source close to the Canadiens has said that forward Jonathan Drouin has played his last game in a Canadiens jersey.
Drouin, 26, who has been with Montreal since the beginning of the 2017-18 NHL season has struggled during his time in Montreal, only playing a fraction of the games since the 19-20 season. Whether it be injuries or his mental health that has limited his game action while playing for the Canadiens, he hasn't been the player they hoped to acquire from Tampa Bay.
I don't think this would be a case of Drouin falling out of favour in Montreal if this report is true, but rather trying to get him a fresh start in a new market more than anything. Taking time away from the game due to his mental health was and is a very valuable thing. Sometimes I believe, we forget these world class athletes are humans first. Every human being struggles sometimes and that's okay, I actually think Drouin being open about his struggles will make the game, particularly at the NHL level safer for everyone in the long run.
