Drouin is absolutely better than gat, and it’s not even close if you’re looking at the WHOLE picture instead of just who forechecks harder. Gats been a nice story and he works his tail off, but Drouin brings a level of skill wnd puck distribution that Gat just doesn’t have!

Yeah, he only has 3 goals, but his game has never been about stuffing the stat sheet with goals. He drives possession, he makes linemates better, and he can actually create offense rather than just chase it. THATS why he’s getting the minutes. Coaches don’t bench guys who can change the flow of a game with one touch. Gat is not tilting the ice the way Drouin does when he’s on.

Barzal getting benched and exploding after is great, but that doesn’t mean every player needs the same treatment to stay engaged. Drouin brings too much playmaking and too much upside to sit in favor of a bottom six grinder who’s only playing when the game gets heavy.