The Blue Jackets and Jets concluded a highly successful negotiation to exchange disgruntled stars with winger Patrik Laine en route to Columbus, while the Pierre-Luc Dubois center landed in Winnipeg.
Columbus-born striker Jack Roslovic is also going to the Blue Jackets as part of the deal. Columbus is sending Winnipeg his choice for the third round of 2022.
Dubois, 22, signed a two-year, $ 10 million contract extension before the training camp, although sources confirmed to ESPN that while he was negotiating, he also told management he wanted to be negotiated. Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen was in no hurry to move Dubois – choice number 3 of the 2016 draft – preferring to wait until he could get the best return. However, the situation got worse with Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, playing Dubois on the bench after the first period on Thursday.
“He didn’t give a reason to leave,” Tortorella told 97.1 The Fan last week. “He should get ahead. This is how I think you should take care of your business and be the best team you can be.”
Laine, who was selected in second place in the 2016 draft, had been a candidate for trade since his agent told the TSN that in this off-season it would be “mutually beneficial” for both sides to start again.
“I’m here, I’m not,” Laine told reporters ahead of the season, downplaying the request.
The 22-year-old Finnish winger scored 28 goals and a career record of 35 assists in 68 games in 2019-20, and had two goals and one assist in his first 2020-21 game.
Since his debut in 2016-17, only eight players (Alex Ovechkin, Auston Matthews, David Pastrnak, Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, John Tavares and Patrick Kane) have scored more goals than Laine’s 140.
“Strengthening our team offensively has been a priority for us and the additions of Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic accomplish just that,” said Kekalainen in a statement. “Patrik is a player we know very well and in a short time he has become one of the most competent scorers in our league. Jack is a young and exciting player with great potential and we are excited to bring him home in Columbus like a blue jacket. “
Laine is currently on the reservation for injuries with an upper body injury. He is in the final year of a two-year bridge agreement that earned him $ 6.75 million annually. The Jets will take 26% of Laine’s salary, according to the team.
The Blue Jackets announced that they reached a two-year, $ 3.8 million contract with Roslovic during the 2021-22 season.
Under Canadian quarantine rules, Dubois will have to be isolated for 14 days and lose a minimum of seven games. Dubois has 66 goals and 93 assists, totaling 159 points in 239 career games.