Pierre LeBrun of TSN Insider Trading is reporting that the agent for Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois’ has informed the club that he isn’t interested in signing any type of contract extension with the team, not even a one year deal that would take him to unrestricted free agency. The timing of the news is a little bit surprising as Gary Bettman doesn’t like these types of stories to break during the Stanley Cup final, however the news itself is one of the worst kept secrets in the NHL.
Dubois reportedly told the Jets last summer that he had no intention of signing a long-term deal to stay in Winnipeg and it appears that the 24-year-old is staying true to his word. Dubois had 27 goals and 36 assists in 73 games this season after signing a one year $6MM contract last summer. He helped lead the Jets to the postseason this year, but it appears that he would prefer his time in Manitoba come to a close sooner rather than later.
Dubois is just one year away from being free to sign with anyone. However, he is under Winnipeg’s control for next season as a restricted free agent and may have handcuffed the Jets if they were to shop him in the trade market. Winnipeg could move on and try to facilitate a trade to meet Dubois request, or they could take him to arbitration and accept a one-year deal and lose him as a free agent next summer. While neither option is great for the Jets, it could be a launching pad for a lot of movement this summer. The Jets have quite a few very talented players that are approaching unrestricted free agency and may either opt to take one more run at a cup or begin a painful rebuild.
Superstar netminder Connor Hellebuyck, former captain Blake Wheeler, and center Mark Scheifele are all unrestricted free agents next summer and with a potential exodus on the horizon general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff may decide that the more palatable option is to jump start the rebuild now and bring in a boatload of young controllable talent.
When have the Jets ever made a run for the cup?
Hey! They almost made it in 2018
PLD, give him his wish and wend him to Mon…………….tana! LOL!
@Johnny Z – He’ll be movin’ to Montana soon. Gonna be a dental floss tycoon. :)
But…he promised he wouldn’t… traitor! Ship him to the Moo-lay Ice Barn off Rural and the Superstition…
This guy is unbelievably entitled. If he were a superstar, sure. Name your team, name you price. Dubois is a second line centre who can fill in on the top line if there’s an injury. There’s two teams now that he’s played underwhelming hockey for, and he’s demanded a trade from both.
He seems to reeeeeally want to play for Montreal, but does Montreal even want him at this point? Maybe they can send him to Phoenix in hopes they get moved to Quebec City.
Well … given that Winnipeg’s up a creek with him, Montreal could get him on a discount. But yeah, I wouldn’t trade for him. The moment he got his fee-fees hurt, he’d up and demand another trade.
That’s my take, too, Pyramid. This guy is selfish. If he could put a puck into an open net Canada would have one more World Junior championship, too. I’d make this guy sit out next year – reality can be a burden.
In a just world, Montreal gets him, extends him, and immediately ships him off to Arizona.
Better learn Mandarin buddy!
@DarkSide830 – Reserving one luxury cabin on the “Kunlun Red Star”, port side.
Now NYR should jump on him
Jets trade PLD for JT Miller
Winnipeg gets their Center for the next 8 years, a guy who would never sign there for that long anyways…only way to do so.
Canucks either ensure an extension is signed or a future deal to Montreal for some significant futures is lined up.
Except Miller has a NMC, so in keeping with your notion that he’d never sign in WPG that long . . . you’re right; he’d also nix a trade there PDQ!
Additionally, even if Vancouver did acquire Dubois, they’d just be putting themselves in the same boat that WPG is now. . . . stuck with an entitled player and little leverage in the situation.
He doesn’t until July 1st
But he’s cap space on an average contract
Well, that’d be a s#%t move to pull on anybody, and Miller strikes me as a guy with a “winning” personality who’d be totally fine with such a change in career plans!! (insert sarcasm!) I’m sure the Jets wouldn’t have another unhappy customer on their hands ALSO requesting a trade eventually! LOL
Guy is such a diva.
Loose cannons are not advised for any team, good news for Winnipeg
PDL to Utah where he can meet up with the rest of the Coyotes once their stage coach makes its way north. :D
Okay folks this was always expected from PLD but it makes so much sense for the jets to go full rebuild mode this offseason
Jets have until the trade deadline to move him. If he wants to become a UFA next off-season he will have to sign eventually. Jets need to make sure they get at least a 1st for him. The other Vets the Jets need to also move out but they also have until the trade deadline to do that.
The dude is obviously a cancer to any team he dons the jersey for. I can’t imagine there’s a single team out there that is going to pay market value for clown