Canadiens: Pierre-Luc Dubois A Potential Dodged Bullet

Pierre-Luc Dubois was linked to the Canadiens for a long time, with it feeling almost inevitable that he’d end up in Montreal. That, of course, changed when he was shipped off to Los Angeles, his third team in his now seven-year NHL career. But perhaps the glitz and glamour of Hollywood isn’t so perfect.

Dubois has played just 14 games with the Kings– a team he signed an eight-year $68 Million contract with back in June– and is already drawing the ire of some of the media there. The criticism, an all too familiar one of him not being consistent in his involvement and effort in the game. He’s a good player when he’s engaged and involved, but that’s not a guarantee on any given night.

This is something both Winnipeg Jets fans and Columbus Blue Jacket fans before them can certainly relate to. Of course, there is the infamous shift he had that effectively ended his tenure in Columbus. But that’s just the most glaring example in what’s been a theme for Dubois throughout his still young career.  And if it’s already become a topic of discussion in LA… yikes.

So, from the Canadiens point of view, they have to feel a little better about where they stand on that front. There was definitive interest in Dubois for quite some time, and how could there not be. You have a young, French-Canadian centre capable of playing in a top-six role, something the

Canadiens will almost always covet if it makes sense for them.
But in this particular case, this seems like a possible bullet-dodged. For what the Canadiens would have had to give up to acquire him in a trade, on top of giving him $68 million, it’s hard to justify. Especially if these concerns continue to mount. There has to be at least a small sigh of relief coming from the Canadiens front office.

Of course, it’s only been 14 games in LA, so it’s far too early to label Dubois just yet, but he’s been in the NHL for seven years now. And this is a reputation that just won’t seem to go away, no matter where he plays. At some point, you got to believe this is just who he is. Dubois has four goals and four assists in 14 games this season, tied with former Canadien Phillip Danault for sixth on the Kings in points.

So far, I’d say the Canadiens ended up better off not acquiring Dubois. That just seems like a headache not worth having. Things can obviously change, but for now, I’d consider that a bullet dodged.

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