Another day, another NHL trade that doesn’t involve the Toronto Maple Leafs. We all knew Pierre-Luc Dubois wanted to leave Winnipeg, but we didn’t know where he was going next season.
Toronto Maple Leafs fans are aware of the rumors circulating about star players (cough, cough…William Nylander), but nothing quite like the rumors that surrounded Dubois before the deal closed.
Leafs fans remember Dubois in the 2020 playoffs, PLD was a threat and was one of the main reasons the Blue Jackets took the Leafs out in that series.
It seems a long time ago from the way things were in Dubois. The following season, he was traded to the Jets for Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic, and is now on the move again.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Blockbuster Pierre-Luc Dubois trade rating
Today the Jets finalized a trade with the Los Angeles Kings that would send the 25-year-old to Los Angeles for Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iovalo, Rasmus Kupari and 2024 in the second round.
It was a move that would happen sooner or later, as Dubois told Winnipeg he would never sign with them again and wanted out. It was assumed that he would end up in Montreal, but that is not the case.
Prior to the trade, DuBois signed an eight-year, $68 million contract extension, doing both a tag and a trade.
But how did each team perform? I will give my opinion with reference to this trend trading.
Los Angeles Kings – Grade: A
I love this deal for royalty, that’s exactly what they need. Los Angeles has come back from the first round in back-to-back seasons and is clearly on the rise with players like Quinton Byfield and Arthur Kaliyev becoming a full-time player in the NHL.
But the Kings need more to knock them out in the first round, and Dubois does just that. It’s hard to get to the front row and I don’t think the Kings overpaid for it. The player who was the third pick in 2016 has a career high 63 points in 73 games this season. It’s hard to trade Villardi’s 43 points this year, but it’s not the worst thing in the world.
Los Angeles has managed to keep its future as it is without having to give up many opportunities and options to get a star player in this league. I think Dubois would fit in perfectly with the royal family, so I’m giving him an A.
Winnipeg Jets – Grade: A-
You see, the Jets were in a tough spot. Dubois wanted out and didn’t sign an extension with Winnipeg, but the return they got for him was pretty good.
Winnipeg doesn’t want to rebuild, so the assets they acquired make sense. Velarde will be great for them. He’s only 23 and he’s come a long way, and I think his best years await him with the Gates.
Alex Iafallo is a piece of great depth to be referenced in this work. In 59 games this season, Buffalo has 36 points. He is the most experienced player at the NHL level in this trade and has scored 30 extra points in each of his six seasons with the Kings.
Rasmus Kupari is an interesting acquisition. At 23, he hasn’t broken into the NHL yet, but the potential is still there. In 66 games this season, Kobari has only scored 15 points, but it was only his first full season in the league.
You mentioned the potential for Kupari that still exists. He was a former first-round pick in 2018, so he can still show what he’s got with more opportunities in Winnipeg
- Publication date: 06/28/2023 at 10:00 am
- Last updated on 06/28/2023 at 02:36
