Huge revelation from Jonathan Drouin about the dark period he experienced in Montreal

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Elias Edmonson
October 15, 2023 (4:10 PM)

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Jonathan Drouin's journey with the Montreal Canadiens was anything but smooth sailing.

Unfortunately for the Quebecer, he faced numerous obstacles over his six years with the club, not playing almost a full season since 2019, his second in Montreal. He then played 27, 44, 34, and 58 games over the following four campaigns.

He suffered several serious injuries, in addition to the dark period that kept him away for half a season, as well as throughout the entire 2021 playoff run, while the Tricolore made it to the Stanley Cup final.

In connection with a fresh start with the Colorado Avalanche, the 27-year-old forward revealed a few details during an interview with ESPN, concerning the psychologically very difficult period he went through with the CH.

«The two months in the bubble [in Toronto during the summer of 2020] really bored me. Without that bubble, could I have been okay and avoided stopping playing? I cannot say, but during the COVID year in Montreal, we had rules to follow in Canada. We couldn't leave our home, except to walk with our dog. I had to walk my dog six times a day to get out of the house.»

The former Canadien also added that the pressure for a Quebec player, in Montreal, is something that is really not easy to handle.

«Unless you've lived it... no one is ready for that.»

Moreover, his agent, the colorful Allan Walsh, chimed in on what Drouin said about the pressure of the Montreal market.

«You want to understand that you are privileged to experience particular circumstances. However, when life goes wrong, it gnaws at you every day. There is no way to get away from hockey outside of the rink. In such a situation, players tend to lock themselves in their cocoon.

You order meals, and you don't go to the supermarket. You don't walk down the street, you don't cross the park to breathe fresh air. You seem to avoid people and crowds. It becomes a life of isolation and it is not always the healthiest lifestyle.»

Being aware of everything that number 27 has been through over his journey with the Tricolore, Walsh is well placed to testify for his client.

It is certainly disappointing for everyone that the transaction that brought Drouin from the Lightning to the Canadiens, in return for Mikhail Sergachev, did not yield the expected dividends, neither for the player nor for the club.

However, it's part of hockey and we strongly hope that Jonathan can reboot his career with his good friend Nathan MacKinnon, with the Avalanche. Even wish him to be able to win a championship this year, as they will be serious contenders for the Stanley Cup