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Yzerman not closing door on Drouin's return to Lightning

Brendan McDermid / REUTERS

Anything is possible when it comes to Jonathan Drouin and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Upon lifting the 20-year-old's suspension and announcing Drouin would report back to the AHL's Syracuse Crunch, Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman is keeping the door open for a reconciliation between the two parties.

In the immediate future, Yzerman said Drouin could resume AHL play as early as Friday, and isn't ruling out a call up to the NHL if all goes well.

Yzerman is believed to have been approached by several suitors prior to the NHL trade deadline, and was looking for pieces that could help the team reach its goal of winning a Stanley Cup this spring. Unable to find the right deal, he ultimately decided to hold onto Drouin's rights, but until now, it seemed as though he had played his last game with the club at any level.

For now, they're taking it one step at a time, but the addition of a player of Drouin's skill set could end up being the boost the Lightning need to get over the hump.

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