Habs may take run at Jackets’ Dubois

The Montreal Canadiens didn't get a chance to select Pierre-luc Dubois at the 2016 NHL Draft, but they might have a chance to get him now.

The Columbus Blue Jackets selected the 6-foot-3, 218pound centre from Ste-agathe-des-monts with the No. 3 overall pick that year after the Toronto Maple Leafs picked Auston Matthews and the Winnipeg Jets took Patrik Laine. The Canadiens selected defenceman Mikhail Sergachev with the No. 9 overall pick and a year later traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Jonathan Drouin.

Before the draft in 2016, there was speculation the Canadiens might make a trade to move up in the selection order and get Dubois. At the time, GM Marc Bergevin said he was always interested in players from Quebec, noting that Dubois would probably be gone before the Canadiens picked, but adding: “There's always surprises.”

There were no surprises, but it looks like Dubois is now available again.

The 22-year old Dubois is not happy in Columbus playing for temperamental coach John Tortorella and has made that clear, adding that he doesn't want to be a distraction in the locker room.

“I'm going to be the best player I can be, the best teammate I can be (and) the best person I can be,” Dubois told reporters during a video conference this week . “I don't want it to be a distraction, so I think that's the only way.”

Dubois posted 18-31-49 totals in 70 games last season in the final year of his entrylevel contract. In 235 career regular-season games, he has 65-93-158 totals.

During the off-season Dubois and his agent, Pat Brisson, agreed to a new two-year deal with the Blue Jackets worth US$10 million and Dubois can become a restricted free agent after the 2021-22 season. There are no bonuses in the contract, which pays Dubois $3.35 million this season and $6.65 million next season with an annual salary-cap hit of $5 million.

“He wants out,” Tortorella said this week about Dubois on 97.1 The Fan's Rothman and Ice in Columbus. “He hasn't given a reason why he wants to leave. He should get in front of it. That's the way I think you should go about your business, and be the best team you can be.

“He needs to continue to do the things to help this team win and be the best teammate he can be, or I'm not sure where it goes,” Tortorella added. “It's a situation and we'll go to it day by day.”

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman wrote in his 31 Thoughts column this week that the Canadiens and Winnipeg

Jets are among the teams interested in acquiring Dubois. Friedman added that, according to several sources, interested teams are “not screwing around.” Laine has already expressed his desire to get out of Winnipeg.

You have to think

Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen would be asking for Nick Suzuki or Jesperi Kotkaniemi in any trade with the Canadiens and would probably want more than just one young centre in exchange for Dubois. Bergevin would probably be reluctant to deal Suzuki, but maybe a deal involving Kotkaniemi, Jonathan Drouin and maybe even a draft pick would work. Drouin has a $5.5 million salary-cap hit, so that would free up the money for Dubois. The Canadiens have 14 picks at this year's NHL Draft, including one in the first round, two in the second and three in the third. Bergevin and Brisson are also longtime friends.