Perhaps the first true blockbuster deal of the offseason has finally materialized. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports the Los Angeles Kings are acquiring center Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets, who receive a significant return in Alex Iafallo, Gabriel Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, and a second-round draft pick in 2024, originally belonging to the Montreal Canadiens. Per NorthStar Bets’ Chris Johnston, Dubois is signing an eight-year extension (technically with Winnipeg before the trade) worth $8.5MM per season.
Dubois arrived in Winnipeg over two years ago in a star-for-star trade that saw Patrik Laine head to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The two players were selected third and second overall, respectively, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. It looked like a rather disappointing trade for both sides at the time – Dubois had just 20 points in 41 games down the stretch with the Jets in 2020-21 and played a decidedly middle-six role, barely averaging over 15 minutes per game.
Things took a dramatic turn for the better over the following two seasons, though. Fresh off back-to-back 60-point seasons for the first time in his career, Dubois is now entering his prime and much closer to the player everyone thought he could be. He won’t impress anyone defensively, but he’s a very high-end play driver and is a good weapon on the power play.
It’s a fresh start for Dubois on the West Coast. He’s long been posturing to get himself traded to a larger market, although most had assumed until recent weeks that it would be the Montreal Canadiens. With Winnipeg looking to retool on the fly, though, the Kings’ package of NHL-ready talent was a much more appealing return.
That being said, this is a lot to give up (and an awfully rich extension) for Dubois, who’s a good top-six center but not a bonafide first-line pivot. Vilardi, the 11th overall pick in 2017, finally broke out this season in a big way after multiple serious injuries derailed his development. The 23-year-old notched 41 points in 63 games, played a great possession game, and could very well replace Dubois’ role in the Jets lineup on his own. With the addition of Iafallo, who’s a very strong middle-six two-way winger, it seems those two on their own might have been enough value to land Dubois. He had 36 points in 59 games last year, on pace for a career-high of 50 in a full season.
Add in Kupari, who doesn’t have a terribly high ceiling but is an established NHLer who appeared in 66 regular-season games and six playoff games this year, and Winnipeg’s got three fresh pieces to help kickstart a significant retool. The 2024 second-round pick is also a very nice addition for the Jets – it finds its way to them via the Canadiens and Coyotes, switching hands in the Christian Dvorak and Sean Durzi trades.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
The Athletic’s Murat Ates was first to report the package was in place.
Idk how you sign this guy for 8 years. Who’s to say he’s not whining to get moved again by yr 3 or 4?
@slimmycito – Exactly! Countdown to Goldilocks hating everything about L.A.
@Mac
I’m sure he’ll like the girls
Age 25-32 seasons. No brainer to go 8
@KRB – Maybe he’ll “make it rain” in L.A. when everybody says, “It never rains in L.A.!”
Columbus, Winnipeg and Los Angeles… Hmm.. One of these things is not like the others.
Maybe I’m misinformed, but isn’t PLD decidedly mediocre? Seems like a big cap hit and a lot to give up for LA.
Wtf?!? Montreal better be retaining some salary or this is horrible for the Kings.
Montreal has nothing to do with this trade. I assume you mean Winnipeg.
Yes, my bad.
Nice trade for the Jets
Amazing the return + getting MTLs 2024 2nd seems like it’s really trying to stick it to them lol.
well done by Chevy.
Ya really sticking it to them by rebuilding, living in Winnipeg and having no chance of ever winning a cup
don’t think it’s rebuilding with this offer. retooling definitely but seems their plan is to try and still compete and will trade pieces for roster players.
and it’s Bettmans NHL. No Canadian team including MTL has a chance at winning a cup
No Canadian team is such a bs excuse
Where do you live? Regina?
Where do you live? Regina??
This is a steal for winnipeg
Ch-ch-ch-chevy and the Jetsssssss
There’s a very real chance Vilardi is better than Dubois in the near future.
there is not.
I bet there crying in there cheap socialist beer this afternoon in Montreal.
Not at that price.
As an English Habs fan I believe the French connection is way to much IMO. They’ve often signed, selected or traded for a player/coach that spoke french even tho there were better things out there. Drouin for Sergachev is a big 1 for instance. As soon and the Newhook deal was announced you know where PLD would end up. In a newfie so I’m clad that finally got Newhook, as I was hoping they would draft him how draft year. Most newfie boys are either Habs or Toronto fans, then 3rd would be Boston fans then every1 else is a fan of an original 6 team. Hello Canada and hockey fans, from the United States and newfoundland
Socialist beer is like $12 a pint in Montreal.
Plus the carbon tax
Holy haul for a 2C
A 2nd liner and 2 more potential 2nd liners and a 2nd for a 2C. Jets made off like bandits
Ok maybe not Kupari
Not sure I read this right. They spelled Hellebuyck Dubois, right?
This Kings fan is not a fan of this. Too expensive for a 60 point moody forward and that salary is atrocious.
Yikes! Huge overpayment in talent and money. I would think he plays with Fiala on the 3rd unit and top PP.
I am not a fan of this trade at all. However, I have been very critical of several of RB’s moves that have worked out well (Danault, Fíala, etc.,) so I’ll hold off.
With Vilardi, is he scratching the surface of what he’ll become? Maybe. We also could have just seen his best season; even in a career year, he was plagued by injuries.
The fact remains that the Kings had too many forwards, and turned them into a 25 year old top six player who could just as easily have several more leaps in him. It might not work out, but sometimes you gotta take a risk to push to that next level (think VGK and Eichel.) We shall see!
Blake should be focusing his time and energy on a legit number 1 netminder, The Kings certainly don’t need DuBois!
How soon before he wants out of LA?
Hope this works out for the Kings, but buyer beware. Nice work by Chevy.
Should have also gotten Hellebuyck for that haul!
Hmm seems like a big L for Kings here and big W for the Jets.
I thought the Kings have had a nice pivot trending in the right direction, but not anymore with this move.
Vilardi’s hot start chilled from the midway point of the season-on… I don’t think Gabe is durable enough to play full seasons (and he’s yet to do so), even tho I loved his vision and playmaking ability… So I don’t think his ceiling really goes much higher from here, especially in Winnipeg where they don’t have many elite offensive players outside their top 3-4 forwards.
Was this an overpay? Totally.. but EVERYONE is overpaying now…, and with Vegas rolling the dice and WINNING this past year, Blake feels the window closing on Kopi and Doughty and pulled the trigger. The reason I’m ok with this deal is I didn’t feel ANY of those three forwards we sent to Winnipeg had much more to give L.A. even if they played to their full potential.
Now, can DuBois outperform all three of those dudes? Doubtful.. But big centers and a more consistent power-play will help L.A. win the big games that they didn’t last season unless he’s a complete bust. Blake made the move for Fiala, (and overpaid) and so far that’s been an A+ acquisition…
And one last thing, “If you don’t gamble, you’ll never win.” -C. Bukowski.
#GoKings
All very good points, very well said. It’s also important to take into consideration the fact that the Kings are running out of spots for their forwards; I like Kupari, but he’s not any better than JAD, and there are still more young players coming up. Iafallo is an unsung hero, but he’s a middle-six guy on a contender. Vilardi has significant potential, but may have already hit his ceiling if he can’t stay healthy (which he never has.) It’s not like Dubois is risk free, but he’s better than those three guys, maybe even combined, and is young enough to still find new levels in his game, especially now that he’s settled into a place he wants to be long-term.
Not everyone’s overpaying, Swiney50. Tom Fitzgerald just scored a better player for far less.
Ok, so ONE guy didn’t overpay on what ‘may’ be a better player overall… I still like the fit of PLD in L.A., and have no qualms with the dudes they shipped out to get him, or the overpay… Cost of doing business IMO…
So ok, Tom Fitzgerald wins the day, you got me there.. ~O_o~
winger vs centre, 27 vs 31, extension va UFA all factors
The Power Play was great last year. We need a consistent penalty kill and goaltending!
How has Tim Stutzle done?
I could care less about Stutzle… we got plenty of wingers… and you build around centers, anyways.
Meanwhile QB is a winger with 3 goals scored!
How many Playoff points did Timmy have this season? ~O_O~
I think rob Blake has done some good trade hope this play off lot offense now power play is on set now
The player that must pick up his game is Byfield. This guy has been a major disappointment so far. If he picks up his game then this is a good trade for the Kings. They still have a lot of young, unproven talent waiting coming up to play so this is a good trade. Iafallo and Kupari are just players and Valardi while good has been injury prone.
QB isn’t even old enough to buy beer yet and some fans are calling him a disappointment. Jeez give the kid time to grow into his frame and build a bit more hockey sense. He’s got way too much upscale to be dumping on him already.
QB was a 2nd overall, 2nd OA’s are generally expected to show signs of significance within their first year or 2, maybe 3rd. This was his 2.5 year and he has shown little to no signs thus far. He has been passed by by close to 10 players in the draft at this point. If he doesn’t show significant improvement soon, he’s not living close to his draft potential. Doesn’t mean he’s a bust yet, but he better show something or the calls for his removement from the top of his draft class can be drawn to a close.
Little to no signs? You clearly did not watch games last year. If you only look at goal stats, I understand why you think this. 2nd half of the year on line 1, he was a catalyst for better overall performance on that line.
8 years and way too much player capital for a malcontent. This deal reeks.
Just swinging through here to @ everyone who said Bratt at $7.85m was an overpay… well this just happened. I didn’t think Bratt was an overpay and the ongoing contracts which are worth more for worse, older, grumpy players just reinforces it. As a (devils and) sharks fan, I absolutely love this move from Blake ;-)
Bratt IS an overpay. Doesn’t mean that this deal isn’t far worse for the Kings.
We shall see Nha, we shall see. Curious – how did you feel about the $ you lot shelled out for Zacha? I was glad to see him doing better with the Bs but thought his contract was a bit steep…
@ DevilShark: at the time, I wasn’t too wild about the trade for Zacha; he was a good player, sure, but Haula had been a real warrior for Boston, and I thought he merited better than being dumped after a year. Absolutely no complaints here for Zacha’s performance last season, though. Now do I think he’s overpaid? If he remains the Zacha of last season, putting 50+ points on the board — which, given his chemistry with Pasta, won’t be hard — and being strong defensively, no.
that’s way too much money for him. he hasn’t even scored 30 goals.
Kings are stacked down the middle. Worked for Vegas.
Misguided decision on Blake’s part to say the least, Dubois is gifted no dought but the Kings need goaltending badly I can’t understand why Blake didn’t put his energy into acquiring Hellebuyck.
people call the kid a malcontent, and maybe he is. but when he was unhappy in Columbus, the jackets appear to have said “you don’t like our city? ok, spend a couple winters in Winnipeg.” Columbus traded him to probably the least desirable city in the league. of course he was going to want out of there too.