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Lightning's Drouin will not play Thursday vs. Panthers

Jeff Griffith / USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Lightning aren't going to take any chances on 2013 third-overall draft pick Jonathan Drouin and his fractured thumb.

Drouin will wait to make his NHL debut until his thumb is fully healed.

"It’s disappointing, but there is stuff you have to look at in the bigger picture," Drouin told Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Bay Tribune. "There is no point rushing it, maybe I could play (Thursday), but it’s not Game 7 or anything like that."

Head coach Jon Cooper explained Drouin is very close to getting in the lineup, but there's no point in taking chances this early in the season.

"If we truly needed him, he could answer the bell, but we want to make sure he is NHL ready, healthy, no lingering effects of anything on him," Cooper said.

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