Report: Canadiens, Jets among pursuers for Dubois

The Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets are two of the many teams interested in Columbus Blue Jackets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman wrote in Tuesday's edition of "31 Thoughts."

Dubois recently inked a two-year, $10-million pact with the Blue Jackets. However, reports emerged shortly afterward stating the short-term deal was agreed upon to give general manager Jarmo Kekalainen time to trade him. The relationship between the 22-year-old and the organization apparently soured during contract talks.

The Canadiens and Jets have emerged as two potential suitors and expressed interest in acquiring the star player. Both clubs have been in dire need of a center in recent years, but the desperation isn't as urgent anymore. Montreal suddenly has Nick Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Phillip Danault as the team's top three down the middle, and the Jets have Mark Scheifele and Paul Stastny to center the top two lines.

Columbus' asking price will likely be sky-high for the 2016 draft's third overall pick, and Kekalainen has shown he's willing to wait players out if the right deal doesn't come along. In 2019, star players Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky both left Columbus in free agency after previously indicating they wouldn't re-sign with the club.

Montreal and Winnipeg are not the only franchises interested in Dubois, and the clubs involved aren't "screwing around," Friedman added.

Dubois recorded 18 goals and 31 assists in 70 games last season. He set career-highs in his sophomore season the previous year, tallying 27 goals and adding 34 assists in 82 games.

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