Blue Coats Star Pierre-Luc Dubois told the team that he had no interest in staying in Columbus for a long time and asked to be negotiated in late 2020. Despite saying it wouldn’t be a distraction during the seasonDubois received national headlines on Thursday night for his lack of effort and his Ohio administration may end soon.
Dubois was put on the bench last night after a bad shift in which he basically started skating freely. The front row pivot didn’t see the ice again, skating a total of 3:55 in the team’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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Here’s an iso from Pierre-Luc Dubois’ final shift to the Blue Jackets tonight. The center saw 3:55 ice time overnight and did not change after the first period.#CBJ
More: https://t.co/dkWp3poyVI pic.twitter.com/BcGQgJwheP
– 1st Ohio battery (@ 1stOhioBattery) January 22, 2021
“I don’t really make decisions in minutes,” Tortorella said as transcribed by ESPN Greg Wyshynski. “It’s up to the player to show me. You will get there if you play correctly. The responsibility lies with the player. And it’s in all the players – not just the player who sat down. I’m not a hard guy to read, in that regard. “
On Friday, Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that 12 teams contacted the Blue Jackets about the possibility of switching to Dubois, including the Capitals.
List of teams I believe Columbus asked about Pierre-Luc Dubois, obviously some more seriously than others (in no particular order):
Anaheim, Minnesota, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Ottawa, Rangers, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Detroit, Washington and Arizona.– Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) January 22, 2021
Needless to say, I think other teams do too.
Now the question is which teams can meet what CBJ wants. This will not be just a futures agreement. I think Columbus wants this to be a hockey deal if / when they continue.– Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) January 22, 2021
Frank Seravalli of TSN reported that two thirds of the league have varying degrees of interest.
Like @frank_seravalli write, other #NHL teams are not discouraged by #CBJ Striker Pierre-Luc Dubois changes skates on Thursday, as more than two-thirds of the league have varying degrees of interest and intrigue at the 61-point center: https://t.co/CkdvhECVpt#TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/kODjiODBHt
– TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) January 22, 2021
A source close to the Capitals confirmed the team’s interest in PLD for the RMNB. When asked to describe how serious the team was about acquiring the Blue Jackets center, the source replied: “They are interested. They are as serious as everyone asking about him. “
Dubois should yield a lot in any potential business due to his age, price and high level of skill. Dubois is currently signed with a two-year, $ 10 million ($ 5M AAV) agreement, and will remain a restricted free agent until the end of the 2023-24 season.
Dubois scored 61 points (27g, 34a) during the 2018-19 season and was at the same pace (18g, 31a) last year before the coronavirus pandemic shortened the season.
Title photo courtesy of @ duber18