If the Montreal Canadiens are still set on acquiring Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets, they might have to give the Quebec-born centre more than they bargained for.
On Wednesday, we learned that Dubois’ agent Pat Brisson recently let the Jets organization know his client wants to be moved to another team. While the 24-year-old is just one year away from being free to sign with anyone as a UFA, he is still under the Jets’ control for the next year as a restricted free agent (RFA).
Then, in a Thursday report from Arpon Basu, editor-in-chief of The Athletic Montreal, it was revealed that the Dubois camp will submit a list of teams that he would have interest in signing with long-term. According to Basu, Dubois is likely seeking an eight-year contract in the $9 million a year range.
“The plan is for this to be a sign-and-trade, where the Jets sign Dubois to an eight-year contract and then trade him to his new team,” Basu writes. “Dubois could not get an eight-year deal if he signed directly with that team, and the Jets can extract more value with a signed and delivered player.”
Unsurprisingly, Dubois’ list of ideal destinations includes Montreal. With that said, his apparent asking price is higher than any salary on the Canadiens’ roster. This includes Montreal’s captain Nick Suzuki, who makes an annual average salary of $7.875 million.
And while GM Kent Hughes’ managed to keep Cole Caufield’s new contract below Suzuki’s it does not necessarily mean a player like Dubois couldn’t receive more. That’s because both Caufield and Suzuki were coming off their entry-level deals when they re-signed with the Habs, while Dubois is not.
As for when the Jets could pull the trigger on a trade involving the player, it could certainly happen in the coming weeks before the end of the NHL Entry Draft on June 28 and 29 in Nashville.
Hughes provided a vague response when asked about the recent Dubois developments at the NHL Combine on Thursday. “I can’t talk about players from other teams, so I can’t make a comment on Pierre-Luc,” said the GM in French, before adding that the Habs are “always open to adding elements that would improve” their roster.
Over 434 games in the NHL, Dubois has put up 129 goals and 302 points.
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