*Photo from NBC Sports*
We've got the first big trade of the NHL season. The Winnipeg Jets have traded forwards Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Pierre Luc Dubois and a 2022 third round pick, according to TSN's Pierre Lebrun. The Jets are also expected to retain 26 percent of Laine's salary, according to Lebrun. The deal has been confirmed by both teams.
Laine, who was one of the best scorers on the Jets roster, is in the final year of his contract and will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season, although it is reported he has already started discussing a contract extension with the Blue Jackets. Roslovic, a Columbus native, was an RFA for the Jets who hadn't come to an agreement yet on a contract, and thus hasn't played a game this season yet. He is expected to agree on a deal with the Blue Jackets.
Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said of the trade for Roslovic and Laine that "Strengthening our lineup offensively has been a priority for us and the additions of Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic accomplish just that. Patrik is a player we know very well and in a short time has become one of our league's most proficient goal scorers. Jack is an exciting young player with great potential and we're thrilled to bring him home to Columbus as a Blue Jacket."
Dubois had reportedly been disgruntled with his situation in Columbus, and hadn't signed a deal until the season almost begun. Recently, he was benched by coach John Tortorella at the end of a game, and would have been a healthy scratch for today's game if he hadn't been traded, so it was obvious Dubois was wanting out of Columbus.
Jets GM Peter Cheveldayoff said of the addition of Dubois that "We're extremely excited. Pierre-Luc Dubois coming in here, the depth and the size we have down the middle here right now, that's going to be the strength of our organization. The depth down the middle is something that with winning organizations, when you look back, seems to be a common thread."
Jets coach Paul Maurice said of the trade that "We're giving up an elite shooter that I firmly believe is going to develop into a strong, very powerful power forward. And then we're going to get a power forward that is going to develop into an elite point producer. So, different starting points but in my mind they'll get to a point in their career where they are in the same place, they're both going to be big powerful men that will drive the play and will drive offence."
Both Laine and Dubois were two of the hottest NHL prospects in the 2016 draft, with Laine being taken second overall by the Jets, and Dubois going 3rd overall to Columbus.
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