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Instant Analysis: Jonathan Drouin brings high end talent to the #Habs roster
The Montreal Canadiens have made a big move and have traded defenceman Mikhail Sergachev and a conditional second round pick in 2018 to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Jonathan Drouin and a conditional sixth round pick, also in 2018.
The Canadiens acquire Jonathan Drouin + a cond. 6th-round pick (2018) from TBL, in return for M. Sergachev + a cond. 2nd-round pick (2018).
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 15, 2017
There had been rumours of a trade ever since the season ended.
Drouin is 22 years old and is coming off of a season where he had 53 points (21 goals and 32 assists) in 73 games for the Lightning. Drouin is a left-handed shot and plays the wing, so it is not a trade that fills the stated need of a centre for the Canadiens.
He is a restricted free agent on July 1.
Sergachev was the ninth overall pick last year. He played in four NHL games, and did not register a point. He helped the Windsor Spitfires to a Memorial Cup championship. He was the top prospect in the Habs organization.
It will be interesting to see the impact of this trade going forward, as the Lightning and Canadiens face each other four times a season and Montreal has played Tampa in the playoffs twice in their last three appearances.
It remains to be seen what other moves are made going forward by Marc Bergevin who still appears to be on the lookout for a centre. This also means the Canadiens need to use a protection slot on Drouin, as Sergachev was previously ineligible.
Update: The details about the conditions of the picks have been released. If Sergachev plays 40 games for Tampa Bay next season, no picks are exchanged.
Condition on the picks in Tampa-Montreal trade is that if Sergachev plays 40 games for Bolts next season, there are no picks exchanged.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 15, 2017
That’s 40 games in reg season and playoffs
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 15, 2017
