Believe this post was written last summer and really just required the insertion of which team Pierre-Luc Dubois would be playing for next season and what the Jets were receiving in return.
Given the non-committal comments at the end of the season and all the fire that spread with his agent reportedly advising as to his client’s intention this was the only conclusion one would have expected this to reach.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Today it was confirmed that Dubois will be playing the for L.A. Kings after he was dealt there by Winnipeg according to Darren Dreger of TSN. It was part of a sign-and-trade as per Chris Johnston of TSN which will see Dubois have an AAV of 8.5 for eight seasons. In return the Jets will get Gabe Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari and a 2024 2nd round pick (via the Habs ironically). The Jets now have a full compliment of draft picks for 2024 with the acquisition of the 2nd rounder. They had dealt their original pick to Nashville at the Trade Deadline for Nino Niederreiter.
Some junior/college connections between the players coming to Winnipeg as part of this deal. Gabe Vilardi played at Windsor with Logan Stanley where they won a Memorial Cup while Alex Iafallo was at University of Minnesota-Duluth with Neal Pionk, Dominic Toninato and Karson Kuhlman. When Rasmus Kupari played in Liiga he was with Karpat and it turns out he and Kristian Vesalainen overlapped during the 2017-18 season in Finland.
In 195 games with the Jets organization he scored 63 goals and added 80 assists for 143 points.
When the Jets acquired Dubois from the Blue Jackets they gave up Patrik Laine (2nd overall in 2016) and Jack Roslovic (25th overall in 2015). Somewhat forgotten in all of that was the 2022 3rd rounder they acquired and turned into Danny Zhilkin who is a nice prospect for Winnipeg.
Join us at 9 PM this evening to discuss the details on the Illegal Curve Hockey Trade Pop-Up Show.
