Jets acquire Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Blue Jackets

Pierre-Luc Dubois (Twitter)

In a National Hockey League blockbuster deal on Saturday, the Columbus Blue Jackets have traded centre Pierre-Luc Dubois of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec, and a third-round draft pick in the 2022 National Hockey League Entry Draft to the Winnipeg Jets for right winger Patrik Laine of Tampere, Finland, and centre Jack Roslovic of Columbus, Ohio.

Dubois was initially selected in the first round, third overall, by the Blue Jackets in the 2016 National Hockey League Entry Draft. He had played his junior career with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

This season, Dubois registered one goal in five games with the Blue Jackets, along with two penalty minutes, was a -2 with one game-winning goal, seven shots on goal, 33 faceoff wins, three blocked shots, two hits, and one takeaway. Dubois’s game-winning goal came in a 3-2 Blue Jackets win over the Detroit Red Wings on January 18.

We all know that Patrik Laine (who was drafted second overall in 2016) is a natural goal scorer. You cannot replace a sniper in the NHL who has 140 goals already in 306 games. However, what Dubois brings to the table is a stronger overall play on both ends of the ice. Don’t forget that Laine was a -24 on a very good Jets team in 2018-19. Dubois also has offensive promise as he led the Blue Jackets in scoring last year with 49 points after getting a career-high 61 points in 2018-19.

Roslovic meanwhile played more of a checking-line role with the Jets over the last four years. Last year he had 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points in 71 games. Roslovic also calls Columbus home.

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