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Syracuse Crunch forward Jonathan Drouin said very little at a news conference Tuesday morning at the War Memorial.

(Courtesy of the Syracuse Crunch)

Syracuse, N.Y. — Two days after his agent muddied the waters by Tampa Bay by going public with a trade request, prized prospect Jonathan Drouin made sure to keep his hands clean and above the fray.

Drouin, 20, assigned to the Crunch on Saturday, held a brief and seemingly painful media session on Tuesday morning in which he said the issue that's sparked heated discussion in the hockey world across North America is between agent Allan Walsh and Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman.

"I'm not going to answer any questions about the trade request,'' Drouin said. "It's between my agent and Steve. The only thing I can do is play hockey here.''

Thoughts on the stir that was created with his knowledge and approval of going public with the request?

"I'm not commenting on the situation. That's how it is. I'm just here to play hockey,'' he said.

And his current relationship with the Lightning?

"I'm not answering any questions about that,'' he said.

Drouin was reportedly upset when the Lightning assigned him to the Crunch, but he put a better face on the issue Tuesday.

"I'm happy to be here. I'm part of the Syracuse Crunch right now. I'm trying to help them win,'' he said.

Drouin said he's heard from some of his teammates since the news, but would not discuss their reaction.

"It's just how it is,'' he said.

Drouin has been plagued by injuries this year and his minutes have wanted. He temporarily became expendable when the Lightning returned to 14 healthy forwards.

The Lightning has said he's with the Crunch strictly to get some playing time, not as a referendum on his play. He said he's 100 percent healthy now.

"I played my game up there. They sent me down. So it's up to me to work and get back up there. I'm excited to get this started,'' he said.

Does he think he's played his last game for the Lightning?

"Hard to say. It will be up to me to prove that I can go back up there,'' he said.

Drouin danced around when asked if this is a difficult situation for him.

"Yes and no,'' he said. "You obviously want to be up there. But right now it's not my decision. I'm happy to be part of the Syracuse Crunch right now and that's all I can worry about.''

Syracuse coach Rob Zettler was considerably more expansive on the topic of Drouin and his stay in Syracuse.

"We're excited to have him,'' Zettler said. "I've talked to him. He's excited to play down here. I expect...for him to come in and work hard and help the Crunch win hockey games and earn the respect of his teammates by working hard. I think our team's excited. He's a talented player that we're going to infuse into our lineup. He'll bring us some energy. He'll bring a lot of skill to our lineup. Selfishly, for the Crunch, it's I think it's an exciting time.''

Zettler was diplomatic when asked his reaction when he heard of the trade request.

"Stuff happens in hockey that we'll leave between the agent and Tampa. As far as we're concerned, we have a player in our lineup that's going to help us win hockey games, and that's the way we have to look at it,'' he said. "And we're going to help him to round out his game. He's going to help us win hockey games. It's as simple as that.

"The best thing he can do for himself, for the organization, for the Crunch, for Tampa, is come down here and work hard and let the chips fall where they may. Everything else is on the outside. Hopefully it will help him grow. I always said it's never a bad thing for a player to come down to the American Hockey League and play, play a lot of minutes, get his game where he wants it to be. And that's ultimately why he's down here.''

Drouin made his pro debut with two games for the Syracuse Crunch last season but he was too young to play a full year in the AHL at that point. Now, he can skate in this league as long as Tampa Bay wants to keep him here.

He will make his season debut for Syracuse at Albany on Friday and his home debut Saturday when the Crunch hosts Hershey.

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