Will Patrik Laine or Pierre-Luc Dubois Be Traded Before The 2021 NHL Season Starts?
- Patrik Laine is requesting that the Winnipeg Jets trade him
- Pierre-Luc Dubois has put in the same demand to the Columbus Blue Jackets
- Separate prop wagers are asking whether either player will be traded prior to the Jan. 13 start of the NHL season
Patrik Laine wants to jet out of Winnipeg. Pierre-Luc Dubois seeks to say goodbye, Columbus.
Laine’s camp has told the Winnipeg Jets that he desires a move to another team. Dubois issued the same demand to his employers, the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Separate prop wagers are out offering betting odds on the chances that either player will be traded prior to the Jan. 13 start of the NHL season.
Both players would be coveted acquisitions by other NHL clubs. Laine scored at a 34-goal pace last season. Dubois led the Blue Jackets in 2019-20 with 49 points.
Odds Patrik Laine is Traded Prior to Start of 2021 NHL Season
| Outcome | Odds |
|---|---|
| Yes | +600 |
| No | -900 |
Odds as of Jan. 6
It was Laine’s agent Mike Liut who went public in October with suggestions that it would be mutually beneficial if Laine was moved out of Winnipeg. The opening of training camp this week saw Laine insisting he was there to play for the Jets and didn’t want the trade talks to become a distraction.
Here's the full quote from #NHLJets Patrik Laine, when he was asked about his agent's suggestion that a trade might be best for him: pic.twitter.com/tDQopHRXl2
— Ted Wyman (@Ted_Wyman) January 4, 2021
The Jets are +650 to win the North Division. Getting back equal value for Laine would prove very problematic.
He’s scored no fewer than 28 goals in any of his four seasons. The game-changing sniper is averaging 37.1 goals per season as an NHLer.
The second player chosen in the 2016 NHL entry draft, the Finnish finisher is still only 22 years old. He hasn’t even reached his prime as a pro.
Jets Are Accustomed To This Scenario
Operating in a small-market Canadian city that annually is listed by NHL players as their least favorite place to play, dealing with disgruntled players is old hat for Jets management. Last season began with defenseman Dustin Byfuglien walking away from the team.
Defenseman Jacob Trouba ended up enduring through a long process of trade talks before he was finally moved to the New York Rangers prior to last season.
#NHLJets coach Paul Maurice on Patrik Laine trade request:
"Patrik Laine today, he practiced like a man. He was hard, he was fast, he was as good as I've ever seen him practice. So I'll judge that. He was here, he was in a good mood, he was fun to watch. He's committed."#wfp— Mike McIntyre (@mikemcintyrewpg) January 4, 2021
Currently, forward Jack Roslovic, unhappy with his role in Winnipeg, is joining Laine in requesting a deal.
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff acknowledged he’s been exploring all options to improve his team. There was some talk of interest in Laine from the Philadelphia Flyers. However, with a flat salary cap in place, even if the Jets were looking to move Laine, it’s not going to happen quickly.
Pick: No (-900)
Odds Pierre-Luc Dubois is Traded Prior to Start of 2021 NHL Season
| Outcome | Odds |
|---|---|
| Yes | +500 |
| No | -800 |
It was a puzzling start to the year in Columbus. New Year’s Eve saw Dubois signing a two-year, $10-million contract with the Blue Jackets. Next up was Dubois reiterating his desire for a trade. Speculation is that he wishes to be performing on a bigger stage.
Based on past history, the Blue Jackets won’t be in any hurry when it comes to accommodating Dubois. Two years ago, aware that goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and star forward Artemi Panarin were both hurtling toward unrestricted free agency, the team hung on to those players in order to make a playoff push.
#CBJ Pierre-Luc Dubois on the potential of his desire for a “change of scenery” becoming a distraction: pic.twitter.com/aywSXwZYGf
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) January 3, 2021
Selected third overall after Laine in the 2016 draft, Dubois was one of only two Columbus forwards to net more than 15 goals last season. He’s averaging 55.3 points per season as an NHLer.
With virtually every NHL team butting up against the cap right now, fitting in a $5 million player would prove difficult. If Dubois is to be traded, it’s going to happen later, not sooner.
Pick: No (-800)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
