Bruins
Dubois, 24, might be a key addition to a revamped Bruins core coming into the post-Bergeron period.
Don Sweeney has a lot on his plate this offseason.
Clearing cap house to be able to alleviate a fiscal crunch stands on the high of the Bruins’ to-do checklist over the summer season.
However with each Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci nonetheless weighing their futures within the wake of a crushing first-round exit, the Bruins additionally want to go away no stone unturned on the subject of including expertise on the middle place.
It hasn’t taken very lengthy for one promising pivot to place himself out on the commerce market.
In line with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, Pierre-Luc Dubois and his representatives have knowledgeable the Winnipeg Jets that the younger ahead doesn’t intend to signal long-term with the group, and a commerce may be one of the best path ahead.
Dubois, 24, is ready to hit restricted free company this summer season earlier than changing into a UFA in 2024.
Given Dubois’ skillset, age, and Boston’s murky future so far as its middle pipeline, concentrating on the Jets ahead certain looks as if a no brainer.
However simply how viable is a Dubois commerce for the Bruins in 2023? Let’s weigh the professionals and cons of a possible blockbuster transfer.
Professional: Dubois is an ideal piece so as to add to a revamped Bruins core.
Even with their cap woes and the unsure futures of Bergeron and Krejci, the Bruins ought to nonetheless subject a really aggressive roster in 2023-24. Past that, they’ve bought a youthful core locked in place long-term that Sweeney and Boston’s entrance workplace ought to have the ability to construct round within the years forward.
David Pastrnak (signed via 2031) is a 60-goal scorer who ought to proceed to torment opposing defenses for years to come back. Pavel Zacha (signed via 2027) might be a top-six stalwart transferring ahead.
Boston’s blue line will probably be anchored by two top-15 defensemen in Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy, each now signed via 2030.
And regardless that their goalie corps might see some main upheaval this summer season, the Bruins ought to be in good arms in the event that they lock in Jeremy Swayman long-term as their future No. 1 choice between the pipes.
Add in a rising cap ceiling in 2024 and past, and the Bruins are positioned properly as a crew that ought to proceed to compete past the Bergeron Period.
The lone roadblock in that equation is the shortage of two high quality facilities down the center. Despite the fact that Zacha might step right into a 2C position, the Bruins can have some robust sledding forward in 2023-24 if each Bergeron and Krejci grasp up their skates.
And even when a kind of two legendary pivots do return subsequent 12 months, it solely additional delays the inevitable (and unenviable) activity of changing them down the center in 2024.
Swinging a commerce for a confirmed top-six common like Dubois does extra than simply alleviates these considerations within the brief time period.
With Dubois nonetheless not even in his prime, he’d match the mildew of Sweeney’s long-term plans of constructing a sustainable, contending roster five-plus years down the road.
Despite the fact that Boston has been fixated on a “win-now” mindset over the previous couple of years, Sweeney has planted the seeds for his long-term imaginative and prescient by buying and signing key property like Lindholm and Zacha long-term to hitch the following wave of B’s management.
Dealing for a 24-year-old Dubois and inking him to a prolonged contract would observe an analogous script.
Con: It’ll value a ton to amass Dubois.
In a stunning flip of occasions, making an attempt to commerce for a longtime, 24-year-old middle goes to value a fairly penny.
And whereas the Bruins do have some property that may be moved, Winnipeg isn’t precisely a perfect commerce companion when it comes to what Boston may be comfy with giving up.
The Jets appear destined for an intensive retool this summer season, with GM Kevin Cheveldayoff seemingly breaking apart an underachieving core of gamers like Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, and Dubois.
After all, the Bruins might dangle blue-chip prospects like Mason Lohrei, Fabian Lysell, or Georgii Merkulov. However a first-round decide is probably going one other ask from Winnipeg, and Boston doesn’t have one other first till 2025. They gained’t decide within the second spherical till 2026.
One other approach to facilitate a deal is to ship established NHL gamers again in a commerce with the Jets. However would a retooling Winnipeg crew actually need gamers already hovering round 30 years previous?
Linus Ullmark might be Boston’s high commerce chip this summer season, however does a Jets crew that already has Connor Hellebuyck actually wish to change him with a fellow veteran?
Taylor Corridor might be a helpful middle-six pickup for a lot of different groups, however what would the Jets actually do with a 31-year-old ahead like him?
Even when Winnipeg wished both Ullmark or Corridor, each gamers have commerce protections that would hinder a commerce out to Manitoba.
If Boston has to maneuver lineup regulars off this crew in a take care of the Jets, you’re seemingly taking a look at youthful, efficient gamers like Jake DeBrusk, Brandon Carlo, and even Jeremy Swayman — together with the aforementioned draft capital.
That’s lots to surrender by a crew that ideally needs to retain most of their youthful contributors for the lengthy haul.
However once more, you’ve bought to present to get on this league.
Professional: Dubois matches the mildew of what the Bruins are in search of in a top-six common.
Dubois isn’t a famous person positioned in the identical tier as a Jack Eichel or Matthew Tkachuk.
However Dubois might create an analogous impression for a crew trying to do some injury within the postseason.
Bruins followers seemingly haven’t spent a lot time assessing Dubois’ recreation throughout his time up within the frozen tundra of Winnipeg. However the pugnacious ahead would seemingly endear himself to the TD Backyard crowd briefly order due to his coveted mix of ability and snarl.
A gradual offensive contributor, Dubois has surpassed the 60-point mark 3 times in his six full NHL seasons, together with a career-high 63 factors (27 targets, 36 assists) in 73 video games in 2022-23. He’s additionally thrived as an efficient netfront choice on the Jets’ power-play unit throughout his tenure there.
However at 6-feet-4-inches and 214 kilos, Dubois can also be a bruising energy ahead who has a knack for making his presence felt past simply the scoresheet. Dubois has logged over 100 hits in three of his six seasons, ending with 71 hits and 77 penalty minutes in 2022-23.
Rolling out a top-six common able to scoring 30 targets and doling out a slew of punishing hits is a uncommon asset in at this time’s NHL. The Panthers benefited from having an influence ahead like Tkachuk anchoring their high six unit throughout this playoff run.
Prying a participant like Dubois out of Winnipeg not solely would handle a essential void on Boston’s depth chart, it could give the B’s roster make-up some much-needed heft, particularly as soon as the calendar flips to the spring.
Con: Does Dubois even wish to play in Boston?
The Bruins are already taking a look at an uphill climb within the Dubois sweepstakes, on condition that many different suitors with extra draft capital/prospects ought to have the ability to outbid them this summer season.
However on the subject of Dubois’ second commerce request of his younger profession, it’s inconceivable to disregard the a number of ties between him and his native crew, the Montreal Canadiens.
Dubois’ agent, Pat Brisson, famous final summer season in the course of the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal that the Habs are a crew that the Quebec native would wish to play for.
That hypothesis has carried over into this offseason, additional fueled by Dubois’ need to hunt a commerce out of Winnipeg.
Despite the fact that Dubois doesn’t formally hit unrestricted free company till 2024, any crew that trades for him this summer season seemingly needs a long-term contract in place.
In line with Arpon Basu and Marc Antoine Godin of The Athletic, it does seem to be Dubois will submit an inventory of 5 or 6 groups to the Jets that he’d be prepared to signal an extension with.
Montreal will seemingly be on the checklist, and each Basu and Godin added that Dubois may be prepared to accept much less cash on a brand new contract if he lands with a real Stanley Cup contender.
However are the Bruins on that brief checklist?
Con: Dubois does have some baggage throughout his earlier stops.
You may’t deny Dubois’ high-end expertise and his skill to wreak havoc every time he hops over the boards.
However you can also’t ignore the assorted pink flags he’s planted within the ice with each the Blue Jackets and now the Jets.
Dubois drew loads of criticism for requesting a commerce from Columbus in 2021 and subsequently dogging it on shifts within the days main as much as his commerce to Winnipeg.
And regardless that he was productive in Winnipeg, this can now mark his second reported commerce request in a little bit over two years.
Add within the Jets’ second-half slide and subsequent lackluster displaying within the postseason (as known as out by their coach in Rick Bowness), and Dubois doesn’t precisely have essentially the most sterling resume past the stat sheet.
After all, a ticket out of Winnipeg and that management group may be one of the best for Dubois, particularly if he lands in a longtime dressing room like Boston.
There have been loads of situations the place gamers with “pink flags” have thrived after a clear slate. Simply ask the Golden Knights if they’ve any regrets over plucking a depressing Jack Eichel out of Buffalo.
Nonetheless, if the Bruins are going to surrender a ton of property for Dubois, they should do their due diligence.
Given the seemingly value, they want to verify he matches in with the accountable, team-first tradition that they hope endures lengthy after franchise pillars like Bergeron name it quits.
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