Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 17, 2021
Check out the latest on Pierre-Luc Dubois, Patrick Laine, Jack Roslovic and more in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.
LATEST ON DUBOIS AND LAINE
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Montreal Canadiens were among several teams to make serious pitches for Columbus Blue Jackets center Pierre-Luc Dubois before the regular season began. Once the puck dropped, however, the Jackets have decided to wait and see how their season unfolds before making any decision on Dubois’ trade request.
Chris Johnston believes there’s no urgency by the Blue Jackets or Dubois to make a trade at this point. He feels there’s a certain comfort level between the two sides right now, pointing out the 22-year-old center is seeing first-line minutes right now. He believes the Jackets will want a return that replaced Dubois immediately rather than a futures package.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen could pull the trigger if he gets a deal he likes during this season. Finding that deal, however, is another matter. If the Jackets are struggling by mid-February it could put Kekalainen under pressure to move Dubois.
Could the Winnipeg Jets swap Patrik Laine for Columbus Blue Jackets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images)
For all the recent talk of the Canadiens parting with Nick Suzuki or Jesperi Kotkaniemi in a package deal for Dubois, we don’t know if Montreal GM Marc Bergevin intends to go that route. Bergevin seems interested but he could also remain patient and see how his club does over the course of the season and how well Suzuki and Kotkaniemi perform. If they meet or exceed expectations, Bergevin won’t have any need to trade for Dubois.
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek recently weighed in on the Dubois speculation. He suggests one way to resolve this is to ship Dubois to the Winnipeg Jets for winger Patrik Laine, who is rumored to want out of Winnipeg.
The problem, however, is it’s uncertain why each player seeks a change of scenery. If it’s the size of the market, it’s hard to imagine either player would be happy with this swap.
Duhatschek believes it would be serendipitous if Laine were to end up with the Anaheim Ducks, where former Jet Teemu Selanne wound up spending most of his Hall-of-Fame career. He suggested the Los Angeles Kings as a landing spot for Dubois, where the young center could fill the second-line role behind Anze Kopitar. The price for the Ducks and Kings would cost them a promising young asset like Trevor Zegras or Quinton Byfield.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kekalainen’s preference could be shipping Dubois to a Western Conference team. The Kings could be a good fit but we don’t know if GM Rob Blake is willing to give up promising assets for Dubois. They could also be out of the running if the Jackets seek a return that provides immediate help.
Dubois might be a better fit with the Ducks as they’ll need a suitable replacement soon for aging captain Ryan Getzlaf. Like the Kings, however, they probably couldn’t help the Jackets address their need to replace Dubois at center.
Kekalainen could accept a package of picks and prospects in exchange for Dubois if he had a deal lined up with another club where he could flip that return for an established young first-line center. However, that could be easier said than done.
I concur with Duhatschek regarding the uncertainty about whether Dubois or Laine would like their new markets if they were swapped for each other. Laine is a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights. The Jackets will want assurances he’ll sign a long-term extension. Dubois is signed through next season but the Jets will have concerns about his plans beyond 2022.
PENGUINS INTERESTED IN ROSLOVIC
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Pittsburgh Penguins are among the teams “very interested” in Winnipeg Jets forward Jack Roslovic. The 23-year-old restricted free agent remains in Columbus awaiting a trade.
Friedman points out the Penguins have started the season 0-2, adding general manager Jim Rutherford isn’t afraid to make in-season moves. He wonders if there could be a fit there.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets could seek a top-four defenseman for Roslovic. And no, they won’t want Mike Matheson or Cody Ceci in return.
RECENT CAPITALS SPECULATION
THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Tarik El-Bashir was asked if Washington Capitals GM Brian MacLellan might consider trading center Evgeny Kuznetsov. While Kuznetsov can at times be a frustrating player to watch, El-Bashir doesn’t see MacLellan trading him, especially when they’re in go-for-it mode.
El-Bashir was also asked if the Capitals might trade winger Richard Panik in a cost-cutting deal. He believes the Capitals are hopeful Panik will have a bounce-back performance under head coach Peter Laviolette but doesn’t rule out moving him if things aren’t clicking by mid-February. The winger’s $2.75 million annual average value through 2022-23 would be difficult to move.
Petterson for roslevic? Leaves the pens d even weaker than it is. Jankowski has looked fine at third center. I don’t see a fit.
Chrisms..I see a fit for a 23 year old, slick center man who can play and has a easy cap hit..$839,000
Marcus pettersson is solid too but at $4 million somewhat soft and we can make a move with the $3 million saved for a dman
Getting rosolvic 23 we have kapanen 24 guentzel 26 jankowski 26 McCann 24 tanev 28 rust 28 we get younger, faster better
He wants to be a top 6 center… Malkin to the third line?🤭
Yes Malkin to the third lien love that he is playing like crap….make him earn his way…
Against the Capitals he missed a clean breakaway, bungled a clear 2 on 1, and missed badly in the shootout….great players bury one of those…
Why wouldn’t the ducks or kings give up an asset for 22 year old first line center ?
They might not wish to part with Trevor Zegras (WJC 2021 MVP) or second-overall pick Quinton Byfield. That’s bound to be the asking price by the Jackets.
LA down the middle already have Kopitar, Byfield and Turcotte, Why would they be interested in Pierre-Luc Dubois? And Anaheim has Zegras he’d make more sense going to Anaheim then LA.
Fire sale soon in Pittsburgh … anybody not named Crosby, Marino, Kappanen or Guentzel can go … time to tear it down but I don’t want Jim Rutherford doing the resurrecting …
Watched Zegras play against Canada in the WJC and he was making all kind of cocky statements. He then went out and backed them up in the biggest game of his career!
That impressed me that this guy is going to be good, and even better the bigger the game is. A player like Zegras will be very good in the regular season but has that special ability to raise his game in the playoffs as well as make the players around him better
I don’t see the Ducks trading him. Just an outstanding player that only comes along once in a while.
Maybe not imperfect solid 4-3 it win versus the undefeated capitals.
We have kapanen finally next game and maybe a move for Roslovic to young fast skilled olayers..
Nope
Would be great to know what exactly the reasons are for Laine and PLD want out. Most likely neither would be happy with a swap to a city they’d still be unhappy in. Olympus is already 0-2 out of gate. They play Detroit tomorrow. Another loss and maybe they need to figure out if Torts has lost the licker room. Not sure Kings or Ducks would be interested in trading young guys on elc’s that they see as eventually being just as good as PLD. And if Columbus thinks they’re a contender, and Torts is staying, they’re not going to want kids that aren’t helping them win now. PLD to NY for Strome and DeAngelo. Won’t happen, but I can dream.
Columbus is 0-2 not Olympus. Wtf
Slick, I’d want out too if I had to hang out in the licker room. Now if it was the liquor room, I’m in!
Lol, I am still laughing
Slick I agree completely on a couple points you suggest: 1) this could be the season where we see Torts effectiveness run its course and 2) Jarmo is committed to continuing winning now. However, I don’t believe a return of Strome and Deangelo is close, particularly if Dubois is traded in the eastern conference. NYR unquestionably has some enticing assets to build an offer but the price would be significantly higher for metro teams making it less likely that it will actually happen. My 2 cents…it will be interesting to watch play out
I could also see the Rangers adding a prospect or a draft pick to get this done. I like both Strome a D’Angelo and would be hesitant to upset the chemistry that Panarin has with Strome but this might be worth it.
the way coach DQ treats Kakko why not just swap him+ADA for Dubois or something like that. Kakko might turn out to be the more dynamic player in the deal. The way Torts coaches might help Kakko actually use his size downlow
An update from Columbus, CBJ have looked disjointed in the 1st 2 games. Trying to play a more aggressive style to generate offense has led to hemorrhaging odd man rushes early in. As slow starts are the norm for this team it is way too early to panic or draw any conclusions. However the shortened season could lead to earlier urgency and the questions are already starting….will they return to lock it down, defense 1st approach? Has Torts shelf life worn out w/ that grind style? Is the Dubois situation becoming a distraction. As a long suffering CBJ fan this does get tiresome…….
Not sure what anyone see in Roslovic game to ask for a top 4 dman. If Wpg can get that, it would be a steal.
I think when we say top 4 we mean a number 3 or 4 or second pairing. We don’t mean a number 1 or 2 or top pairing.
Right now Jack is worth a young number 5 or 6 or third pairing with upside.
Why do writers embarrass themselves suggesting a 2C like PLD can be swapped for an ultra elite sniper like Laine. So dumb. The comparable is Barkov.
Gonna have to agree with you Wendel. A lot of hype over a second line center.
And the Jets don’t want a 2C but a 1D so even more ridiculous of a suggestion.
Columbus doesn’t need prospects for PLD, they need a centre to step in now. Byfield , Zegras or Turcotte are prospects who haven’t shown a thing in the NHL.
Columbus is set at D and they don’t need the prospects that are being offered up.
PLD is a solid 2C, 49 points last year, Danault had 47 points and considered a defensive specialist. Laine btw had 63 points
The asking price by media and folks here for PLD are way out of line
Sean Monahan also a youngish 2C is a comparable.
Two games in it’s obvious the bruins need help offensively nothing has been solved here, Debrusk goes in spurts Kase couldn’t score on an ahl club. Trent Frederick, and Ritchie are as about as much help as a boiled noodle in a switchblade fight. Sweeney needs to get out of his winters nap and make a full effort to get Dubois not Yandle I’d rather bring McQuaid out of retirement than go with Yandle, too much money and waste of time and space.
The bruins are in need of a top 6 center,they have no one close in the organization.Watching them score no 5-5 goals in the first 2 games is a disturbing trend.How long can they flourish with top 2 centers being 34-35 years old.The Kase and Ritchie deals look awful.They don t skate well and Kase is damaged goods.They moved on from Chara and now is the time to rebuild.Also they don t give opportunities to young players,both Studnicka and Bork start on top lines but get sat early if they don t have success right away.Their goaltending situation is also tenious.Both goalies are up at the end of the season.Rebuild now before you become the Chicago Black Hawks,who at least won 3 cups with their group not one.Call Columbus today about Dubois or even Nugent hopkins and see what happens.
Two games is more of a sample than a trend.
You guys sure you’re fans of the Boston Bruins?
You seem to hit the crybaby panic button loudly and often.
It’s no longer amusing reading you’re comments, guys. More like pathetic.
Bingo
You forgot to mention Bjork. My auto correct replaced his name with ‘a joke’…..no joke!
what has Roslovic done so far, that would warrant a return of a top (4) d-man for him? I get it that we was highly rated when he was drafted but he has yet to prove himself
Mike..I think a decent draft pick of someone like Julio rikola smooth skating dman for penguins..
The put him in to line up today defense better penguins win un derated
He has had limited opportunity in Winnipeg due to the strength of the top six there.
In spite of being asked to do something that is not the strength of his game as a checker on the third line he has managed to get NHL player of the week at least once. Though he came in as a center it is starting to look more like he will be a winger in the NHL
The Laine chatter hasn’t mentioned Buffalo, they have a stud D in Dahlin and a polarising centre in Reinhart.
Laine and Roslovic for Dahlin and Reinhart.
Laine for Dahlin straight up would be better but cap constraints don’t allow it.
Laine and Roslovic togather wouldn’t get you Dahlin, let alone Laine straight across.
I would like to see PLD for Marner. Leafs save on cap and go and get another D.
Bruins 5 on 5 can’t get anything done and even with Pasta last season they had trouble scoring at even strength ….This just might be a let’s see what we have year with the younger players before the true rebuild starts the next two off seasons … agree above the Kase ( won’t go into corners) & Ritchie ( too slow) trades will do nothing for this team they should try to move the very inconsistent DeBrusk and ? to the Oilers where his daddy is a broadcaster for a more consistent goal scorer