TERREBONNE | Jonathan Drouin knows that perfectly well. At 28 years old and entering his tenth season in the NHL, he is already at a crossroads. He bet on the Colorado Avalanche to get his career back on track.
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“Yes [c’est une année de vérité], admitted Drouin surrounded by a handful of journalists before the sixth edition of his tournament at the chic Le Mirage golf club to found the CHUM. That will be a big part of the rest of my career. I don’t put too much pressure on myself. I’m betting on a very good team and will try to help the Avalanche.”
On July 1, Drouin signed his name to a one-year, $825,000 contract with the Avalanche. He was a long way from his agreement of 33 million and six years (average 5.5 million) when he joined the Canadian in June 2017.
According to his own statement, the former numbers 92 and 27 of the CH agreed to the Avalanche’s offer, even if it was not the most lucrative or the longest available. But there was one factor that couldn’t be replicated anywhere but Colorado. In the mountains of Denver, he will reconnect with his partner at the Halifax Mooseheads, Nathan MacKinnon.
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“Yes, of course [il a poussé fort], emphasized Drouin. I had great years as a junior with Nathan and always had good games against Colorado. I can’t say why, but I like playing against the Avalanche.
“But it’s not just MacKinnon, there are five or six very high quality players. I find it exciting. I hope that I fit well into this group. I’m counting on a really good team. The Avalanche won the Stanley Cup two years ago. It will be good for me to play for a team that is fighting for a place in the playoffs and goes far there. I am happy. I like the city too. Nathan’s presence [MacKinnon] also influenced my choice.
A former private driver
Drouin and MacKinnon played together in Halifax for two seasons. In 2013, under the leadership of Dominique Ducharme, they won the President’s Cup and the Memorial Cup.
Getty Images/AFP
Before hitting the little white ball, Drouin shared an anecdote from his days with MacKinnon in Nova Scotia.
“He was my driver to school. If he didn’t wake up, I’d be missing school with him. He decided! We’ve had some great years together. We spent our mornings together at school and then in the arena. It hurts a little when I’m reminded that it’s been ten years. I’m really happy to have him back.
Another Step
After six seasons in Montreal, Drouin knew it was time for him to put an X on this chapter. Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton shared the same reality.
“Yes, there was a bit of discussion, but we had the same vision on both sides. We thought it would be a good thing to move on to another stage. I enjoyed my senior year with Martin [St-Louis]. The Canadian will have a good team in the future. But for me, I had to move on and join a new team.
“I forgot about the Canadian as soon as I signed my contract,” he continued. I spent six seasons with CH. It is of no use to me to look into the past. I expect a different pace of life in Colorado. It will be more relaxed, there won’t be the same media coverage. I’m going to find a little bit of the Tampa area.
Drouin hasn’t always found complete happiness in Montreal pot. Anxiety issues caused him to withdraw from the team during the 2020–2021 season. Today he describes his six seasons in Montreal with great candor.
“I had a little misery at the beginning, but not at the end. I thought I was ready for it, but you’re not ready until you experience it. I was a Quebecer with the Canadian. I was able to talk to my teammates, but they didn’t all share the same reality because they weren’t from here. I still had great years and great moments.”