The saga that held an entire city in suspense is now over. Pierre-Luc Dubois is heading to Los Angeles following a major trade between the Winnipeg Jets and the Kings.
The Jets receive Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari in return for the Quebec forward, as well as a choice of 2e round in 2024.
Dubois also signed an 8-year contract, with an average annual value of $8.5 million. This contract was officially signed with the Jets just before the transaction. By doing so, he was able to get an eighth year, as the Kings could only offer him a seven-year deal.
Dubois had publicly announced his desire to leave Winnipeg for several weeks, while those around him circulated his attachment to the Montreal Canadiens, the team of his childhood. It was enough for the city to ignite at the prospect of seeing the arrival of a big center player, author of 27 goals and 63 points in 73 games last season. Especially since Dubois appeared with Cole Caufield at the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, then with David Savard during a CF Montreal match.
According to hockey journalists Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger, the Canadian also tried his luck until the last minute, but the Kings’ offer won in the end. Dreger clarified in the morning that “the Canadian had done everything to get back into the race, without success. Montreal was offering prospects, while Winnipeg was looking for NHL-ready players.
Which is, in fact, the case. Vilardi, 23, is a first-round pick for the Kings in 2017. The big-format forward had 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games last season. Iafallo, for his part, is 29 years old and he has scored 14 goals and 36 points in 59 games. Kupari is a 23-year-old center drafted in the first round in 2018. He had a nice progression curve until he became a trusted center for coach Todd McLellan at the end of the season.
Ironically, the choice of 2e turn in 2024 that the Kings give up was originally that of the Canadian. That pick was originally given to the Coyotes in September 2021, when the Habs acquired Christian Dvorak. The Coyotes then offered that pick to the Kings to get Sean Durzi on Saturday. The Jets now have a year to force this future pick to pack his imaginary bags for a fourth time.
More details to come.