The PLD-Watch is on, as NHL fans all over the world keep an eye on the Columbus Blue Jackets forward. Pierre-Luc Dubois, who broke out last summer in the bubble by showing the entire league that he can hang with the elite players in the game, has asked for a trade out of Columbus. According to his head coach John Tortorella, the reasons for his request still aren’t clear, but it means teams all around the league are calling GM Jarmo Kekalainen to see what it would cost to acquire the 22-year-old center.
Almost everyone’s immediate thought was the Montreal Canadiens, who have been searching for a French-Canadian star to build around for years. Perhaps that thinking got to Dubois too, as NHL insider Nick Kypreos tweets that the center’s “first destination choice” would be in Montreal. According to Kypreos the Blue Jackets have asked about Nick Suzuki and were told that Alexander Romanov has been deemed “untouchable.” Brian Hedger of the Columbus Post-Dispatch has heard a package around Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Victor Mete could be the ask, but notes that for the time being, Dubois figures to suit up for the Blue Jackets and center the top line tonight.
Remember that Dubois signed a two-year, $10MM contract just two weeks ago and will be a restricted free agent once again in the summer of 2022. His performance has been strong, clearly, but he did have just 49 points in 70 games during his third full NHL season in 2019-20. Suzuki, who was the 13th overall pick in 2017, scored 41 in 71 as a rookie last season, arguably looked like the Canadiens’ best forward in the bubble and again last night. He would certainly be a high price to pay, just as Kotkaniemi, the third-overall pick from 2018 would be.
The problem for Montreal would be that the Blue Jackets figure to have up to two-thirds of the league checking in on Dubois. The Blue Jackets have made clear that they’re not rushing to get him out the door and a low-ball offer is not expected to get much traction.
For now, the Blue Jackets will have Dubois in the middle of the ice when they start their season in Nashville this evening. None of the speculation on his trade market will matter when the puck drops. At least not until the final whistle sounds.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
As a habs fan, we sure want Dubois but i would never trade Suzuki and Kk. I would be ok if we send Danault, a 1st, mete and a d men prospect
Then your not gonna get Dubois. You don’t get something good on a cheap contract for nothing lol
Could a package that includes Dumba work?
Trade him to the Yotes or Panthers.
@kscheer – Hokey Smokes! You think he’s in a foul mood now, just imagine how that’d go over! :)
Habs should stop searching for a French Canadian and build the team around any star they can find.
@GoLandCrabs – There is *way* too much sense in that! ;) Thumbs up!
Strome, Kravtsov, Deangelo. Get it done Gorton.
Don’t think that’d do it for Jarmo
Just my thoughts… but Nashville gives CBJ a choice of Duchene or Johansen also adds in either a early-mid round pick (3rd-4th) and someone like Anthony Richard or Jeremy Davies? Anyone think this could be a decent starting point and if not thoughts on what would make it a good deal
I don’t think either of those players gain traction for the simple fact that Johansen was shipped out of CBJ and Duchene chose not to resign there. I think Columbus would want some young pieces back as well.
Really? CBJ won’t want either of those and to take on those contracts a 1st would definitely need to be included
CBJ needs to trade him for w C. Not getting a good C or a decent prospect C would be a lose trading a player like PLD
La kings need him we have young player to trade
I’d love for this to happen, we need a young winger! We could trade them some of our center depth perhaps 1 of madden or akil Thomas plus Rasmus Kapari plus someone on nhl roster to match salaries?
you mentioned in the barkov post about having cap spa e now you want to match salaries. lol
Habs should really keep Suzuki, the kid is gonna be a star. Would KK + Harris + Byron + 1st in 21 be enough ? Byron is thrown in there just to make the money work
I think if MTl it would be something like
Kotkenemi, Mete, Byron and a 1st
Sportsnet thoughy
Byron, KK and Poheling
I think Poh. Is to much
If Montreal wants him that bad it will be a legit young NHLer along with multiple first round picks. CBJ has all of the leverage in the MTL scenario.
A guy who doesn’t want to play there and who the coach has called out and you think that team has ALL the leverage?
Sweeney needs to make a move – Studnicka will be good but is no PLD. Id offer Studnicka, Debrusk a 1st & 2nd
we have a weak farm and our picks are to the end of the draft so not sure if that would be enough
If Columbus wants comparable value now for Dubois the return needs to be a proven C1. Blue Jackets don’t have a lot going for them down the middle and young centres with promise and prospects are only “maybe”s. You usually don’t trade a proven C1 for a “maybe”. If Columbus is in a rebuild or re-tool mood then it gets complicated as a “maybe” is always undervalued by the asking GM and overvalued by the responding GM. Moreover the return for a C1 needs to be of obvious value and really solid for a trade to happen within the same division or conference. So I would suggest Dubois most likely will be traded to a Western Conference team. A Columbus-Montreal trade would be tricky for both teams.
Should land in LA. Lots of prospects there and guys that are regulars …he and Jenner would be a great help to rebuilding kings…
I agree, or in Anaheim. Would Dallas be prepared to talk on the basis of a Seguin for Dubois plus?