The Pros and Cons of a Pierre-Luc Dubois Trade

If the Canadiens want to become Cup contenders, they must improve offensively, specifically in their top-six. The fifth overall pick gives them an excellent chance to do that, but so would trading for Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Quebec native is coming off his best season, where he put up 27 goals and 63 points in 73 games this year. At just 24 (25 in June), he’s only 14 months older than Nick Suzuki and appears to be entering his prime. He’d be a welcomed addition of skill to the Canadiens’ top six. And he’s big, too, so that should also satisfy those of you who believe the Canadiens need more size.

But hey, he’s now a pending RFA, and it looks as though he won’t be signing a long-term deal in Winnipeg, so why not wait until he hits the open market? The Habs could offer sheet him or hope he signs a one-year contract that walks him to unrestricted free agency. So why not be patient if he truly desires playing here? The difference between trading for Dubois now and waiting a year or two to grab him in free agency is somewhat significant, at least in terms of how long he’d remain in Montreal.

As a free agent, the best the Habs could offer Dubois is seven years, whereas if the Canadiens owned his rights, they could sign him for eight. An extra year of Dubois might be worth the compensation, especially if the Canadiens can avoid giving up anything too significant. The Canadiens have an abundance of prospects who project to be good middle-six players with potential top-six upside. They also have an extra first-round pick now slated to fall between 29-32nd as opposed to 17th.

Finally, consider the fact that while the Canadiens may be linked to Dubois, the Jets don’t have to be the ones to send him there. If the Jets wanted to move Dubois, I wouldn’t be surprised if multiple teams stepped up to the plate and made an offer, giving the Jets options. While Dubois may want to go to Montreal, joining a cup-contending team in a more forgiving climate than Winnipeg could change his mind. Say a team like Vegas or Dallas jumped into the mix. Both teams are in warmer climates, with quality hockey teams and, perhaps most importantly, no income tax. I can see how that makes Dubois, or any player, change their tune on their previous aspirations.

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Now this isn’t to say these teams have talked or will talk to the Jets about Dubois, but it is something worth considering. Some teams might consider going after Dubois if they think he can help them win. The Jets won’t do the Canadiens a favour. They’re going to take the best offer. If the Canadiens really want Dubois (which hasn’t necessarily been proven to be the case), they might need to deliver an offer for him that proves that. Otherwise, you run the risk of hoping he’ll be available in free agency when he might not. Trading for him now means he’s all yours, and you get an additional year because of it.