In what may be the biggest news of the off-season thus far, the Winnipeg Jets have reportedly signed forward Pierre-Luc Dubois to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million. However, shortly after the signing, Dubois is being traded to the Los Angeles Kings in a sign-and-trade deal. While the exact details of the trade are yet to be disclosed, it is believed that the Kings will be sending Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, and Rasmus Kupari to the Jets as key pieces in the deal.
The sign-and-trade scenario emerged as the Jets and Kings worked to navigate the salary cap implications for both teams. It has long been reported that Dubois had no intentions of staying with the Jets long-term and the tricky part for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff was finding a trade partner willing to pay full price for the forward. He was apparently able to do so in the Kings who are giving up quite the haul to keep the player away from the Montreal Canadiens.
Dubois, a top-six center, brings significant offensive prowess to the Kings. He is a strong offensive driver at even strength and on the powerplay, although he has been inconsistent in his finishing ability and defensive play.
Amidst the trade discussions, there were indications that the Montreal Canadiens had attempted to re-enter the mix for Dubois. However, their efforts to gain traction in the negotiations were reportedly unsuccessful. While Montreal possesses future assets, the Jets were more interested in acquiring NHL-ready players, which the Kings were able to provide. It appears that Dubois himself preferred the option of joining the Kings.
Fans and analysts eagerly await the official confirmation of the trade and the full details involved. The addition of Dubois to the Kings’ lineup is expected to have a significant impact, while the Jets will look to integrate the acquired players to bolster their roster. If the trade goes through as suggested, most are seeing this as a big win for the Jets during a time they might have potentially taken a bath on any potential Dubois deal.
In a piece of related news, it sounds like Blake Wheeler is going to be bought out by the Jets to make room for the trade to go through.
Next: Canadiens Acquire Forward Alex Newhook from Avalanche in Trade
