Lightning, Yzerman respond to Drouin trade request news

Jonathan Drouin and his agent has gone public with their request to be traded from Tampa Bay, and Sportsnet analyst Elliotte Friedman wonders how much this changes things for the Lightning and Drouin on the open market.

Hours after news broke of Jonathan Drouin requesting a trade via his agent, the Tampa Bay Lightning have responded.

The team issued the following statement from vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman:

“We acknowledge, via communication from his agent, Jonathan Drouin’s request to be traded. Moving forward, my sole intention is to act in the best interest of the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey club. In the meantime, Jonathan has been assigned to our American Hockey League affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, and we expect him to report for practice with the rest of his teammates this Tuesday morning.”

Drouin was assigned to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch Saturday after struggling with the Lightning this season.

Drouin’s agent admitted Sunday that the 20-year-old requested a trade back in November, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

The 2013 first-round draft pick has registered six goals and 40 points in 89 career NHL games with the Lightning.

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