Drouin not addressing trade request

Jonathan Drouin's lips are sealed when asked about his trade request to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Taking part in his first practice with the Lightning's farm team in Syracuse on Tuesday, the 2013 first-round pick wasn't answering any questions regarding the statement made by his agent Allan Walsh over the weekend about wanting out of Tampa. 

"I'm not going to answer any questions about the trade request," Drouin explained to a scrum of reporters. "It's between my agent and (GM) Steve (Yzerman). The only thing I can do is play hockey here."

Citing an "untenable situation," Walsh went public on Sunday with a standing request for a trade from November after Drouin was demoted to the AHL on Saturday.

“On behalf of Jonathan Drouin, I formally requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning back in November,” Walsh said in a statement released to media. “We have not said one word about this untenable situation publicly until today. It’s in everyone’s best interests that Jonathan be allowed to move on and play hockey. Let’s be clear, Jonathan loves playing for the fans in Tampa, he loves his teammates and many people within the Lightning organization have treated him well. It was his sincere intention to play in Tampa for many years.”

Drouin, 20, has appeared in just 19 games this season after missing time with two different injuries. Yzerman told reporters on Saturday that the decision to send Drouin to the AHL was made “specifically so he gets playing time.”