Everyone knew that star forward Artemi Panarin and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky were as good as departed from Columbus as they played out the final year of their contracts before reaching unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019.
What did Panarin and Bobrovsky do? Well Panarin put up 87 points in 79 games, Bobrovsky posted a .913 save percentage and a 5.27 goals-saved-above average, and they led the Blue Jackets to their first-ever playoff-series win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
General manager Jarmo Kekalainen held out hope he could retain at least one of his premier players. But there were too many rumblings about both Russians wanting to play on a bigger stage to ignore the fact that when the GM loaded up his team with additions like Matt Duchene before the trade deadline, he was trying to take one last kick at a Stanley Cup with Panarin and Bobrovsky wearing the union blue.
Unfortunately for Kekalainen and the Blue Jackets, the motivation to get out of town hasn’t benefited them as much in their current situation with center Pierre-Luc Dubois. Panarin and Bobrovsky shined and left for the riches of New York (seven years, $81.5 million) and Florida (seven years, $70 million), respectively. Dubois has crumbled under the pressure, scoring just one goal in his first five games and causing coach John Tortorella to bench him for the second and third periods of a loss to the Lightning on Thursday.
Tortorella on Friday wouldn’t commit to Dubois dressing for the Blue Jackets’ game against Tampa Bay on Saturday. Unless something happens overnight, or he’s ordered to play Dubois because scouts want to see him play one more time, Tortorella should scratch Dubois in order to salvage was left of the rest of the team’s morale.
It’s more than the lowly stats line and the Blue Jackets’ 1-2-2 record that gives Tortorella the right to shun Dubois. Just watch the center’s last shift before his benching on Thursday.
This isn’t a guy who’s snake-bit or getting targeted by the opposition. This is a guy that wants out and clearly doesn’t think the Panarin/Bobrovksy approach to leaving on a high note works for him.
While speaking with the media after an optional practice Friday, Dubois tried to brush aside the notion that his trade demand is affecting his play.
“Like I said, I think as hockey players we have one job and it’s to try to help the team win. You know it’s to be a good teammate, it’s to be — whether you’re playing PK, whether you’re playing power play, whether you’re supposed to score goals, being a good teammate on the bench, providing energy — that’s all that we can do, that’s all that I can control,” he said.
“Like I said, I can be better. I haven’t had the [good start] of the season, but that’s your job to be better and to help the team win.”
Dubois still dodged inquiries about why he wants to leave Columbus, saying his talks with the team should remain private. Too late. Even after he signed a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $5 million as a restricted free agent in December, the rumors got hotter instead of dying down.
It’s a shame that it’s come to this because a center with Dubois’ size, strength and skill could be the pillar on which a championship Blue Jackets team is built. And unlike Rick Nash nearly a decade ago, Dubois can look around and see a front office that’s not afraid to bring in talent around him and an organization that has drafted well. He’s surrounded by the likes of Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, Cam Atkinson and Oliver Bjorkstrand.
Kekalainen might’ve overplayed his hand waiting this one out. Dubois’ trade bounty drops slightly every day the other 30 GMs know that the Blue Jackets aren’t going to get anything out of such a talented player. Recent history backed up Kekalainen’s decision to wait, especially in such a short season. He could’ve tackled the Dubois situation in the upcoming offseason, knowing he had a coveted asset that was signed for one more year. Dubois could’ve made his exit easier by playing his hardest and living up to his expectations for four or five more months.
He still could turn it around, but if Thursday was any indication, he’s not going to get the chance and he doesn’t deserve one.
According to several reports, teams are lining up to trade for Dubois.
They clearly have the leverage. But when it comes time to actually close the deal for Dubois, and then eventually re-sign him, it’ll be interesting to see how teams treat a player that clearly couldn’t play his best through a little bit of adversity of his own making. This could be a referendum on Dubois’ character for years to come, and it could cost him the Panarin- or Bobrovsky-level contract that he’ll so desperately seek.
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January 23, 2021 at 04:43AM
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Pierre-Luc Dubois Not Making It Easy For Columbus To Trade Him - Forbes
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