It looks like the Canadiens' chances of getting Dubois in a trade are over

The Montreal Canadiens may have spent the last few months attempting to court Pierre-Luc Dubois, but it appears that the Winnipeg Jets forward is likely heading elsewhere.

According to the Athletic’s Murat Ates, Dubois’ camp is talking about a long-term contract extension with the Los Angeles Kings, with the two teams talking about trade compensation for the 25-year-old Quebec native.

“I’m hearing Los Angeles and Pierre-Luc Dubois are talking contract extension,” Ates reported on Sunday. “Between that and the pieces of the trade, plenty to work out, but I’m getting the sense things are well on their way.”

I'm hearing Los Angeles and Pierre-Luc Dubois are talking contract extension. Between that and the pieces of the trade, plenty to work out, but I'm getting the sense things are well on their way.

— Murat Ates (@WPGMurat) June 25, 2023

Dubois is currently a restricted free agent, having signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Jets last summer. He is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent after next season, but signing long-term with the Kings would all but kill the chance of him suiting up with the Canadiens anytime in the near future.

Dubois had 27 goals and 36 assists in 73 games for the Jets this season, his third year with the team after joining them in 2021 via a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Dubois was recently spotted in Montreal earlier this month at a pair of notable events — a CF Montreal MLS match and the Formula 1 Grand Prix — taking in the sporting events alongside David Savard and Cole Caufield, respectively. But despite the clear friendship with a few of the players and the home province connection, Dubois appears bound for Hollywood rather than the Bell Centre.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had mentioned Los Angeles as a possible destination for Dubois earlier this month.

“There are some teams here who really think that LA is going to take a run at him… [Anze] Kopitar’s got one year left on his contract and I don’t know what the future is there,” Friedman said in a mid-June episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast. “I had some guys tell me that they think LA is going to take a big run at this guy.”

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