So now Jonathan Drouin is refusing to play for Syracuse and has been suspended by the Bolts. And now, his agent Allan Walsh, former lawyer and prosecutor Allan Walsh mind you, is having his client NOT honor the contract he signed...
I just spoke to a high up NHL executive who said the following:
"What Walsh has done now in trying to force Yzerman's hand has more unified the rest of the league against Drouin and any deal getting done...I can assure you that Steve Yzerman is getting more calls with GM's saying, 'Don't you dare trade him now. We can't have players doing this. Don't cave to this!'"
Walsh said that he was advised by the Lightning that a deal was close, and Walsh suggested that they not risk injury by playing Drouin. Agents are allowed to suggest such things, but THAT'S IT. It is the team's call.
When the Lightning said, "No," Walsh, former lawyer and prosecutor Allan Walsh mind you, should have said NOTHING ELSE and had his client honor the TWO-WAY ENTRY LEVEL contract he signed.
Instead, defying reason, he advised Drouin not to show up for the game, and he has now been suspended...Walsh has released a statement that the Lightning and Drouin are officially over...
Jonathan Drouin has all the talent in the world and is a great kid. The job of a player agent is to do what is best for a player's career and more than that, his life. There is no way that ANY of what has transpired is good for the 20 year old Drouin.
I am sure there will be no trade this season. You can bet the house on it. Drouin will have to make some HUGE gesture ON HIS OWN to even have a hope of a trade in the summer or next season...
There is a missing piece here and I have been looking into it.
There must be for all this craziness to be taking place...something beyond what we are hearing.. something like this plausible situation....
It is not at all uncommon for agents of players who want trades to go out and try and play matchmaker. GMs will often allow this with their blessing...Now I don't believe Yzerman told Walsh to find a suitable partner in this case, but I don't doubt for a second Walsh was looking around and maybe even found a really good fit for his client and what he would consider a FAIR trade for the Lightning....The Lightning may have even liked the deal to a degree, but not enough to make the deal...This would likely infuriate the player agent to the point of the extreme actions we are witnessing...
An abnormal reaction to an abnormal situation is normal...I guess.
Again, I don't know that this happened...but something like this MUST have occurred...and all the signs from Walsh's statement, and the way this has played out so far, point to this possibility having to be at least considered.
I do know that finding a GM with whom to play ball now just got a lot harder for Yzerman...
more to come...I am sure of that...