Canadiens & Jets Reportedly Discussed Pierre-Luc Dubois Trade

Montreal Canadiens fans are probably hoping there’s a fire beneath all the Pierre-Luc Dubois smoke.

There’s been no confirmation from Dubois about his interest in playing for the Canadiens, however, Hockey Insiders have reached a consensus: it’s the likeliest scenario.

“Dubois has a year left, and we all know how he feels,” said Elliotte Friedman during his latest 32 Thoughts podcast. “Things aren’t working out in Winnipeg, Bowness was brought in to change the structure and challenge players. I look at this and the way it’s going, and I just wonder if we’re seeing the end of this group.”

The Jets are currently 8th in the Western Conference and are coming off a morale-destroying 4-1 loss against the Los Angeles Kings. Despite putting some distance between themselves and competing teams in the standings on several occasions, they tend to quickly lose momentum, allowing their opponents to close the gap.

It’s often the sign of a club that is struggling to play cohesively, relying on individual talent rather than a team effort.

Of course, one of the most talented players is Dubois, who is fourth in Jets scoring this season, with 25 goals and 33 assists in 66 games.

Dubois signed a one-year extension last summer which pays him $6 million in annual average salary. He’ll be a restricted-free agent upon the conclusion of his contract.

Pierre-Luc Dubois scores a power-play goal against the Los Angeles Kings to make it 2-1 #LAKvsWPG #GoKingsGo #GoJetsGo pic.twitter.com/SqvFCjCO1O

— nopClips (@nopClips) March 25, 2023

Long-rumoured to have the desire to play in his home province, Dubois has been linked to the Canadiens for months, and according to Friedman, the two teams have probably spoken about fast-tracking the process.

“I think the Jets have talked to the Canadiens on and off about Dubois,” said Friedman. “Is there some way, we know Dubois is going to end up there, 95 percent, is there some way we can make a deal so the Canadiens get him earlier and we get something we want?”

The Jets are in a tough position. They know their star player wants out, and since he’s essentially picked his ideal landing spot, they have little to no leverage to work with.

Yes, Dubois is extremely talented, and his addition to the roster would bolster the Canadiens’ centre depth to a point unseen in decades, but the Canadiens are not in any hurry to expedite the rebuild process, which would certainly be the case if they acquired Dubois.

“They’ve talked about that, but haven’t been able to make the deal,” explains Friedman.

In this negotiation, Kent Hughes holds all the cards. It’s simply a matter of gauging whether Dubois’ intentions would hold through another one-year contract extension with the Jets, or if he must strike while the iron is hot.

The question becomes, if the Canadiens were to make a trade for Dubois, what kind of return would the Jets expect?

Knowing Hughes’ preferred method of negotiating, patience and holding steadfast to his price of acquisition, it would be unlikely the Canadiens’ GM would be willing to move significant assets for a player they could acquire for free in one year.

MUST READ: Patience In Order For Potential Dubois Acquisition

On the other hand, if the Jets get desperate to receive some form of return on their investment, they may be willing to drop their asking price to line up with something Hughes deems reasonable.

But regardless of the outcome, one thing is clear; there’s a very strong chance Pierre-Luc Dubois ends up a member of the Montreal Canadiens.