Possible Canadiens Negotiation Tactic To Pry Dubois From Jets

The Montreal Canadiens have an interesting option ahead if they want to force a trade with the Winnipeg Jets to acquire Pierre-Luc Dubois.

It’s no secret to the hockey world at this point that the Montreal Canadiens have been linked to Dubois for the better part of the last eight months.

NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman recently confirmed that the Canadiens and Jets have actually spoken during the season regarding a potential trade in the summer.

There has been talk of the Canadiens holding significant leverage, due to Pierre Luc Dubois‘ open desire not to re-sign long-term in Winnipeg and his known desire to end up in Montreal eventually.

However, there is an added layer of leverage that the Montreal Canadiens do hold over the Winnipeg Jets in any potential trade discussion for Dubois, and it might sound familiar.

Offer Sheet Trap

Pierre-Luc Dubois is set to become a restricted free agent for the last time in his career this summer.

If Dubois remains unsigned after July 1st, the Canadiens would have a four-day window to allow them to submit an offer sheet to the Dubois camp.

Dubois will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024, meaning he only has one more season to complete in order to attain full autonomy.

That could all play to the advantage of the Canadiens in a very unique way.

The Canadiens could thus present Dubois would a one-year, $6.4M offer sheet between July 1 and 5th and it could quite literally put the Jets in a bind.

If the Jets were to match the offer sheet, they would enter into a binding contract with Dubois for the upcoming season, but there’s a catch.

The NHL CBA also stipulates that they would also be unable to trade Dubois for a full calendar year; meaning that they would essentially lose Dubois for nothing as he walks into free agency on July 1, 2024.

If the Jets chose not to match it and take the compensation, all the Canadiens would have to give up is their 2024 1st-round and 3rd-round picks.

They would then be able to talk long-term extension with Dubois as of January 1, 2024.

Break Down

The threat of a potential offer sheet is a massive ace in the hand of general manager Kent Hughes going into the summer.

With Dubois unlikely to sign a long-term deal, it will put the Jets in a pretty big bind; looking across the league to try and trade their 25-year-old centre for whatever they can get before the Canadiens pull the trigger on the predatory move.

It could be the needed pressure Hughes needs to finally convince Jets general manager Kevyn Cheveldayoff to pull the trigger on a deal.