New York Islanders Trade Target Jonathan Drouin Availability Questionable

The New York Islanders could use more support in their top-six, like Montreal Canadiens winger Jonathan Drouin. But is he even available?

Montreal Canadiens winger Jonathan Drouin would be a great trade target for the New York Islanders to improve their top-six situation. According to some Drouin might be on the trade market, but according to others, like the Habs GM, he isn’t.

On Wednesday, Elliotte Friedman mused that there could be something to Montreal Canadiens forward Jonathan Drouin ending a preseason game with the lowest amount of ice time for a skater.

Also on Wednesday, Sportsnet’s Eric Engles indicated that Drouin’s name has been bandied about in the NHL’s hyper-secretive trade market.

But on Thursday, Canadiens GM

Marc Bergevin

indicated that those rumors are typically started by

“somebody in his basement in Toronto”

. But we’ve been down this road before with Marc Bergevin, and if we’re taking him at his word, he didn’t exactly say Drouin wasn’t on the trade block.

“I’m Not Shopping Him”

Do you remember June 23rd, 2016? Montreal Canadiens fans certainly do. On that day, Habs GM Marc Bergevin told the media that he wasn’t shopping P.K. Subban. He had received calls, but he wasn’t the one calling GM’s looking to trade Subban.

Six days later on June 29th, 2016, P.K. Subban was traded to the Nashville Predators for Shea Webber.

Now Bergevin didn’t say he wouldn’t trade Subban on June 23rd, he just said he’s not the one that’s going to initiate a trade. Some Habs fans took that as a sign the GM wasn’t going to trade. Less than a week later they realized that wasn’t the case.

Bergevin wasn’t lying, but he wasn’t being totally truthful either.

So what is Bergevin saying here with Drouin?

"“I don’t know where they [Drouin rumors] come from. Most of those reports are from somebody in his basement in Toronto, so I don’t pay attention to that to be honest with you.” –Marc Bergevin"

The report in question, in fact, isn’t from somebody in his basement in Toronto. Eric Engles, a reporter for Sportsnet is citing a GM from an Eastern Conference team who says Drouin is on the market.

It’s an odd inception type game that Bergevin is playing here. Again, if Drouin’s name is on the trade market according to another NHL GM, then Bergevin as Drouin’s GM would have been the one to put his name out there.

Bergevin isn’t exactly denying the rumors “I don’t pay attention to them” isn’t saying they’re wrong. I know that I’m being very analytical here but you have to be with Bergevin as we saw with the P.K. Subban situation.

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The way I interpret Bergevin’s words are: “if you (fellow NHL GM) want to know if Drouin is available, call me.” Lou Lamoriello absolutely should.