Jonathan Drouin's making the right choice.
So say some of his Tampa Bay Lightning teammates, after it was announced that he would report to the AHL's Syracuse Crunch following an almost two-month-long suspension.
Related: Lightning's Drouin will report to AHL after having suspension lifted
"It's the right decision," said goalie Ben Bishop, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "Kind of a shame he stopped (playing) in the first place. He's a good kid, got a bright future."
It's a sentiment shared by forward Brian Boyle.
#tblightning Boyle said teammates had idea Drouin was coming back. "Smart move by him. He's got to play."
— Joe Smith (@TBTimes_JSmith) March 7, 2016
Drouin last played for the Lightning on Dec. 30, and was assigned to the AHL on a conditioning stint shortly thereafter. Having made a trade request, Drouin, who was under the impression a deal was close, decided not to report for a Crunch game on Jan. 15 when it became apparent that general manager Steve Yzerman wasn't close to pulling the trigger.
Yzerman kept the door open for his return, and was happy to receive the call.
#tblightning Yzerman said Drouin called him last week and expressed an interest in returning. Yzerman called it a "pleasant surprise."
— Joe Smith (@TBTimes_JSmith) March 7, 2016
While the Lightning appear to be wishing him well, they're not exactly missing Drouin. Since his last game, Tampa Bay has posted a 21-6-0 record, including a current eight-game winning streak.
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