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Latest On Pierre-Luc Dubois

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The pendulum for Pierre-Luc Dubois’ next team has continuously swung back and forth between the Los Angeles Kings and Montreal Canadiens over the past several weeks. Today, it’s swung back toward the Kings’ side.

TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the Winnipeg Jets prefer the proposed trade package coming from the Kings, wanting more NHL-ready talent instead of the futures Montreal can offer. Additionally, it appears Dubois personally would prefer a long-term commitment with the Kings, something not many expected after years of publically speculated posturing to end up in a Canadiens jersey.

Reported elements of a return have included forwards Alex Iafallo and Gabriel Vilardi, both of whom could immediately step into top-six roles on the Jets. It’s clear the team is trying to opt for more of a retool than a full-scale rebuild, an ambitious task given the impending departures of Blake Wheeler, Connor Hellebuyck, and potentially number-one center Mark Scheifele.

This doesn’t mean the Canadiens will be silent on the trade market, though. Dreger suggests the team is still looking to add a younger forward to their group and will leverage draft picks and defense prospects to do so.

If he does end up in LA, it’s fair to wonder if Dubois will actually be a center. Anze Kopitar, Phillip Danault, and Quinton Byfield currently occupy the top three spots down the middle, and none of them would appear to be included in the swap with Winnipeg when the trade goes through. Could Dubois shift to wing alongside Danault, giving him some more freedom offensively alongside a world-class shutdown center?

Snapshots: Dubois, Lucic, Galchenyuk

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The Los Angeles Kings and Winnipeg Jets appeared close to a Pierre-Luc Dubois trade over the weekend, but things haven’t progressed as quickly as expected. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that there is “still work to be done” and that the Jets haven’t even given Los Angeles permission to discuss an extension with the center.

Arpon Basu of The Athletic, meanwhile, tweets that the Montreal Canadiens are still open to finding a way to make it work, if the Kings aren’t able to close the deal. Darren Dreger of TSN adds that the Canadiens have re-engaged, making it unclear where Dubois will actually end up.

  • One landing spot has been ruled out for Milan Lucic, as Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV reports that the Vancouver Canucks are no longer in the mix. The Canucks had reportedly expressed interest in the pending free agent forward, who will be leaving the Calgary Flames after three seasons. Now 35, there is no longer much offensive upside in the veteran forward, but he can still be an imposing physical presence on the ice.
  • Alex Galchenyuk, the player acquired by the Nashville Predators in yesterday’s Ryan Johansen deal, will not be re-signed by the team according to LeBrun. His inclusion was simply to clear a contract slot off the books for the Colorado Avalanche. The 29-year-old Galchenyuk played just 11 games in the NHL this season, failing to record a single point.

Poll: What Has Been The Most Impactful Pre-Draft Trade?

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The 2023 NHL Draft is now only three days away, and there has already been a flurry of activity in the NHL trade market. Yesterday, we saw the Colorado Avalanche acquire Ryan Johansen from the Nashville Predators, and the Arizona Coyotes acquire Sean Durzi from the Los Angeles Kings. Following up on those deals, there is heavy expectation that the St. Louis Blues will acquire Kevin Hayes from the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Carolina Hurricanes will add back Anthony DeAngelo to their lineup. If yesterday didn’t bring enough action, it’s also expected that the Kings are close to acquiring Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets.

After losing Nazem Kadri to the Calgary Flames last offseason, the Avalanche had a very difficult time replacing the void left by Kadri on the team’s second forward line. Throughout this past season, Colorado originally tried to patrol Alex Newhook in that role, but after failing to live up to expectations, J.T. Compher was thrust into that role. Compher did excel, scoring 17 goals and 35 assists this season, the best statistical performance of his career. Unfortunately for the Avalanche, Compher is set to enter unrestricted free agency, and Colorado may not have the cap space to retain him.

By acquiring Johansen from the Predators, the Avalanche clearly wanted to make an outside move to complete their second line. This past season, Johansen did not play particularly well, scoring 12 goals and 16 assists in 55 games, having his season ended by a foot injury in February. However, the year prior, Johansen was a proficient offensive player in Nashville, scoring 26 goals and 37 assists.

Sticking in the Central Division, the expected acquisition of Hayes for the Blues should fill the void left behind by Ryan O’Reilly last season. Hayes has very much had an up-and-down career, having much of his time spent in Philadelphia hampered by injuries. This past season, he did have the best offensive output so far with the Flyers, scoring 18 goals and 36 assists in 81 games. It was well known that Hayes and head coach John Tortorella sparred quite consistently, and it was becoming more and more clear that his time in Philadelphia would be coming to an end.

In Los Angeles, the Kings’ trade of Durzi largely indicated that the team was trying to move out money to acquire better talent. In Durzi, Los Angeles largely had a defenseman that was exceptional at moving the puck but was not as responsible on the defensive side of the game. He did score 38 points last year for the Kings, but the underlying defensive metrics were not positive. Opening up $1.7MM with that trade, it has now been reported that the Kings are expected to acquire Dubois, as well as sign him to an extension. Not only will this move allow the Kings to strengthen their second line, but by being able to move Phillip Danault to the third-line center position, Los Angeles may be one of the deepest teams in the Western Conference.

Lastly, the Hurricanes are bringing back a familiar face, as reports indicate that Carolina and Philadelphia are working on a trade. Last offseason, the Hurricanes felt that DeAngelo’s asking price on his next contract was too rich for their blood, and moved him to the Flyers for three draft picks. By acquiring DeAngelo, Carolina now has four defensemen set to hit unrestricted free agency next season, even though it does strengthen their blue line for next year.

After all the moves up to this point, which player do you think will have the biggest impact on their next team?

Latest On Pierre-Luc Dubois, Los Angeles Kings

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After months of rumors regarding Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois and his hometown team, the Montreal Canadiens, Dubois’ long-term landing spot has finally come into focus.

TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reported this morning that the Los Angeles Kings “continue to pursue Pierre-Luc Dubois,” and The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta followed up reporting on a trade being worked on that would land Dubois in Los Angeles with “multiple players/pieces” going to Winnipeg, including forwards Gabriel Vilardi and Alex Iafallo. Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe adds that he’s “expecting F Jansen Harkins to be involved” in a Dubois trade to Los Angeles as well.

Now, The Athletic’s Murat Ates has given a more firm indication that Dubois could be headed to California, reporting that the Kings and Dubois are “talking contract extension,” and although there are still things to be worked out regarding the deal and the exact trade, “things are well on their way” toward Dubois landing in Los Angeles.

That would be a relatively surprising outcome given the strong indications over the ongoing Dubois trade saga that his preferred destination was Montreal. But finding an ideal match between the Jets and Canadiens for a Dubois trade seems to have been difficult, especially since Montreal would likely be loath to surrender rising center Kirby Dach as part of a trade package. Los Angeles has a deeper pool of NHL-ready assets to attract the Jets as a trade partner, which is likely why a Dubois to L.A. move has gotten significantly more concrete momentum than a Dubois-to-Montreal trade.

For the Kings, adding Dubois is in large part about succession planning for the eventual end of incumbent number-one center Anze Kopitar’s playing career.

Kopitar, 35, scored 74 points and showed no real signs of slowing down this past season but with his contract set to expire next summer, Kopitar’s future is becoming more and more of a team focus.

A top-of-the-lineup number-one center might just be the hardest thing to acquire in the NHL, and given the slower-than-expected development of 2020 second-overall pick Quinton Byfield, Dubois represents perhaps the best chance the Kings have at finding a franchise face for when Kopitar’s playing days are over.

Dubois and Kopitar are represented by the same agent, CAA’s Pat Brisson, so that shared relationship could aid the Kings in their efforts to lock up Dubois as their next star forward.

It’s still up for debate whether Dubois is a true number-one center in the NHL. He scored 63 points in 77 games this past season and has certainly shown flashes of greatness, but he has also left fans wanting more at both NHL stops in his career.

In the immediate term, Dubois would be an exceptional complement to Kopitar in the team’s top-six, and would shift Danault into a third-line center role. Danault, who scored 54 points last season and is among the league’s most well-respected defensive centers, would instantly become arguably the league’s top third-line pivot and their new arrangement would give the Kings some of the best center depth in the NHL.

Seeing as Dubois has been rumored to be seeking a maximum-term contract extension that mirrors the financial value of the $8.7MM contract Dylan Larkin received from the Detroit Red Wings, by actively attempting to acquire and extend him it’s clear the Kings believe in Dubois’ potential to be Kopitar’s successor as a number-one center. All that’s left now is for the team to complete the deal and for Dubois to prove them right on the ice next season.

For the Jets, this trade is about moving forward from a player who didn’t see a long-term future for himself in Winnipeg and getting the best possible return for the one year left of control they have over Dubois’ services. While a trade has yet to be completed and the rumored return centering around Iafallo and Vilardi is still just that, a rumor, Vilardi’s presence as a centerpiece player reveals the Jets’ priorities in their trade negotiations.

Despite facing quite a few significant departures in the next few weeks, the Jets remain committed to building around their established stars such as Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey.

Getting Vilardi and locking him down to a long-term contract would add another building block into the mix, especially after Vilardi’s breakout 2022-23 campaign where he scored 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games. While Vilardi has been a winger at the NHL level, he does have some prior experience playing center and the Jets could be planning on trying Vilardi down the middle again if they do end up acquiring him.

Again, it must be stressed that no trade is completed at the current moment and that how Winnipeg fares in this trade will likely come down to whether Vilardi is indeed the centerpiece of the deal and what other players, prospects, or picks are involved. At this moment the most concrete development that has been reported is that Dubois’ camp is actively negotiating an extension with the Kings, meaning the long-awaited trade could be just around the corner.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Jets Engaged In Trade Talks With Kings

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Winnipeg Jets "Gaining Traction" On Pierre-Luc Dubois Deal

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  • There could be some more moves coming soon, as the Winnipeg Jets are “gaining traction” on a Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, per The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta. There isn’t a clear front-runner for his services at this point, but the Los Angeles Kings and Montreal Canadiens have seen their names mentioned the most of any in recent trade rumors.  The influx of pre-draft trades has been started with Kevin Hayes, Ryan Johansen, and Sean Durzi all on the move today.

Winnipeg Jets Re-Sign Ashton Sautner

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The Winnipeg Jets have announced that they’ve re-signed defenseman Ashton Sautner to a one-year two-way contract extension for the 2023-24 season. The 29-year-old has never dressed in an NHL game for the Jets but did dress in 23 NHL games for the Vancouver Canucks over parts of three seasons, putting up three assists while averaging almost 14 minutes a night in ice time.

The Flin Flon, Manitoba native spent last season in his home province with the Manitoba Moose where he posted two goals and ten assists in 68 games. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st but with his extension, he will count $775K against the cap while in the NHL. No word yet on his AHL salary.

Saunter spent his entire junior career with the Edmonton Oil Kings and went undrafted before eventually signing with Canucks. He then signed with the Jets last summer as a free agent after spending seven seasons in the Canucks organization mostly in the AHL for the Utica Comets. He spent a season on loan with the Manitoba Moose during the pandemic shortened 2020-21 season as he was able to play in Canada to avoid border restrictions.

He’ll be expected to take a spot in Manitoba’s defense group and could see a call-up to the Jets depending on how the rest of their offseason plays out. Winnipeg could be on the verge of a major re-tool or a rebuild depending on how things shake out with their tradeable assets.

Latest On Blake Wheeler, Jets

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Former Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler is set to part ways with his team this summer, and on TSN’s Insider Trading program Pierre LeBrun put that quite succinctly, stating Wheeler “will not be playing for the Jets next season.” But where the two-time All-Star will end up playing next season remains a mystery, as is what exact method will be used to finalize his exit from the Jets. LeBrun reports that Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and Wheeler’s representation are working collaboratively to find a solution for Wheeler, and potential outcomes include not only a trade or a traditional buyout, but also a combination of both wherein Wheeler is traded to another club and then bought out by his new team.

The Jets have gone down that route with players in the past, such as in 2018 when they sent Joel Armia and draft picks to the Montreal Canadiens so Montreal would buy out the contract of netminder Steve Mason. A Wheeler buyout would cost a team $2.75MM against the cap for the next two seasons, and with the buyout deadline looming next Friday the Jets will need to either come to terms on a Wheeler trade with another club or figure out whether they or another club will be on the hook for Wheeler’s buyout.

Winnipeg Jets Considering Buying Out Blake Wheeler

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The winds of change are reaching hurricane force in Winnipeg. They’re undoubtedly moving on from a pair of core pieces in Connor Hellebuyck and Pierre-Luc Dubois via trade this summer, and now TSN’s Darren Dreger reports another potential trade chip could be headed straight for a buyout – former captain Blake Wheeler.

It’s been a sharp decline in play for the 36-year-old Minnesota product since recording back-to-back 90-point seasons in 2017-18 and 2018-19. The 2004 fifth-overall pick ranks among the all-time leaders in many Thrashers/Jets franchise stats, suiting up for the franchise in 897 games over 13 seasons. Thinly veiled culture issues have been widely reported on in Winnipeg over the past few seasons, though, which culminated in the team stripping Wheeler of his captaincy last offseason.

Entering the final season of a five-year, $41.25MM contract, Wheeler has both a five-team ’yes’ trade list and a full no-movement clause attached to his deal. Trade discussions started as far back as a year ago, and while they continue to explore the market, their options of moving him for much (or any) value are limited. He did still manage 16 goals and 55 points in 72 games this season, although advanced metrics suggest much of his point production has become the product of his teammates.

He’ll be 37 years old next season, and he’s just no longer at the point of being a top-six forward on a contending team. While he once had a reputation as a capable defensive winger, that’s largely dried up, and he takes more penalties than one would expect, given his style of play. He still has value and skill as a pure passer, but he’s reaching the point where he should be relied upon for around 14 minutes a game instead of the 17 he averaged in Winnipeg last year.

Per CapFriendly, buying out the final season of his $8.25MM cap hit would reduce the cost to $2.75MM in each of the next two seasons, providing $5.5MM in savings in 2023-24.

Connor Hellebuyck, New Jersey Devils Have Mutual Interest

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Mark down the New Jersey Devils as a major player in the Connor Hellebuyck trade sweepstakes, says Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic. The 30-year-old Vezina-caliber netminder is on the trade block after informing the Winnipeg Jets he won’t sign an extension, and LeBrun says there’s mutual interest between the netminder and the Devils in a long-term agreement. Hellebuyck has gone on a remarkable run since becoming Winnipeg’s starter, leading in the league in either games played or saves made for six straight seasons. The workhorse netminder would be a massive, immediate upgrade on Vitek Vanecek, who did have a solid 2022-23 campaign but can struggle heavily with consistency. LeBrun adds, though, that New Jersey likely won’t pursue a sign-and-trade if Hellebuyck is demanding around $9.5MM on an extension, as previously reported.

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