His 1.31 assists per game led the QMJHL and the entire CHL that year and his play looked too dominant, too creative not to translate to the big leagues. 

Fast forward to the 2020-21 season, and Drouin has established himself in the upper half of forwards in the NHL and even transformed himself into an able two-way player, but his pure set-up ability has fallen short of expectations. He's yet to take his anticipated place inside that elite group of playmakers, a select club of players like Johnny Gaudreau, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Mikko Rantanen. 

There are many different reasons why Drouin hasn't ascended to these heights, ranging from on-ice habits to environmental issues. And those elements could endure an analysis feature all their own.