Lightning say there's no timetable for Drouin trade

TAMPA -- Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said Thursday he's "actively and aggressively" attempting to pursue a trade for suspended forward Jonathan Drouin but he won't be pressured to adhere to Drouin's trade demand.

Yzerman said he has yet to find a taker for Drouin, 20, and there is no timetable for a trade.

"This is obviously not the position we had envisioned," Yzerman said. "Going back to the start of the year, going back to last year and the draft and what not. But for various reasons here we are and we'll deal with it."

The Lightning suspended Drouin indefinitely without pay Wednesday for failing to report to an American Hockey League game between the Syracuse Crunch and Toronto Marlies.

Drouin, the No. 3 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, had two goals and one assist in seven AHL games. He has another year after this remaining on his entry-level contract.

He had one goal and five assists in his first five games with the Lightning this season but had two points in his next 14 games, and he missed 19 games because of injuries.

Yzerman's comments came less than a day after Drouin's agent, Allan Walsh, issued a statement explaining why Drouin refused to report for the AHL game.

Yzerman said he told Drouin that he would be traded if it's a good deal for the Lightning. But Yzerman stopped short of saying Drouin is done with the Lightning.

"I'm not prepared to say that; I leave the door open to anything," Yzerman said. "But our attention and plan is to continue to seek a trade that helps us. That's where I am right now."

Yzerman also refuted claims made by Walsh in his statement that a trade was imminent.

"We've never said that there was a pending deal or a deal close," Yzerman said.

Walsh released a statement Wednesday that said in part, "We proposed to Tampa that Jonathan not play in the next few AHL games but continue practicing with the club to avoid any potential injury from preventing an imminent trade. Unfortunately, the Tampa Bay Lightning refused this reasonable request, however, Jonathan was not willing to accept this risk.

"… In light of the latest developments it is clearly in both sides' best interests that the Tampa Bay Lightning trade Jonathan as there is no reason for Jonathan to continue with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization in any capacity. We will have no further comment as we await the Tampa Bay Lightning to conclude a trade that involves Jonathan."

Yzerman said the Lightning have stayed in contact with Walsh and were not caught off guard by Drouin sitting out Wednesday. However, Yzerman said Drouin not playing was not acceptable and the best way for a trade to be made is for Drouin to play and perform well.

"We all have choices and decisions to make," Yzerman said. "Whether I agree with what they're doing or not. Jonathan is a 20-year-old professional hockey player. He's going to make his own decisions. And I'm going to sit here and judge him on his decisions."

Yzerman answered criticism of the way the Lightning handles young players by naming defenseman Andrej Sustr and forwards Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Johnson and Vladislav Namestnikov as players who have stuck with the development plans put in place and benefited from it.

"If you ask every single player in that locker room, at some point they've been frustrated by their situation," Yzerman said. "There are very few, a handful of players in the League, who at some point haven't gone through something and had to persevere and be frustrated and want more ice time. But [coach] Jon Cooper is doing a good job and I like to think we're doing a pretty job of bringing these young kids along."

Cooper said everyone involved in the Drouin situation has played a part in things deteriorating to this point, including him.

"In this situation you have to accept a little responsibility," Cooper said. "When things work out, you have to accept responsibility. And when they don't you have to accept it too."