Pierre-Luc Dubois is not allowed to talk to the Kings

There’s a growing feeling that Pierre-Luc Dubois is slipping into the hands of the Montreal Canadiens. After all, the Winnipeg Jets player and the Los Angeles Kings seem to have momentum in negotiations.

Yesterday was a difficult day for those who want to see the Quebecer return home. We knew that the California club had gained momentum in negotiations, but we also learned that Pierre-Luc Dubois, Pat Brisson and the Kings were discussing a contract.

On paper, it looks like it could work out well. After all, Brisson has a good relationship with Luc Robitaille and Marc Bergevin… and the latter always wanted Dubois when he was in Montreal.

And if the Kings are also seriously negotiating with the Jets, it’s safe to assume that GM Rob Blake is keen to get the Jets’ player and add him to his roster.

But does this mean everything is going as well as it seems?

According to Scott Billeck, whose job it is to cover Winnipeg Jets activities for the Winnipeg Sun, we shouldn’t be too quick to assume that the Jets have given the Kings the right to talk to the player per se.

Pierre LeBrun made similar comments this morning. According to him, the Kings haven’t yet offered the Jets exactly what they’re looking for to move on to the next stage.

He also notes that the Habs have tried, but the fit on paper isn’t as good for a transaction.

Note that the Winnipeg journalist’s tweet (Billeck) was published last night. Things don’t seem to have changed since then, but it’s safe to say that the Jets aren’t yet at the stage of allowing Dubois to talk directly to another club.

Remember that a player under contract can’t talk to other managers without his team’s agreement. But in a case like this, when a player is in danger of signing a new contract with another team, permission is granted.

In Dubois’s case, this should not be long in coming.

It’s also worth noting that on July 1, he’ll be RFA, i.e. without a contract. At that point, he’ll be able to talk to any team he wants, but his rights will still belong to the Jets if there’s no transaction.

All this to say that this news doesn’t mean that the player won’t be going to Los Angeles.

What it probably does mean is that the Jets probably haven’t yet received the right offer to justify the fact that they would be comfortable sending Dubois to the Kings.

Theoretically, the Kings should have a good idea of Dubois’ salary demands, and if they’re in the derby, it’s probably because they’re willing to negotiate in good faith with him.

And if the Jets are negotiating with Los Angeles, it’s most likely because the center is willing to listen to what the Kings have to offer in terms of a long-term contract.

But there’s a world out there where the Kings and Dubois can’t agree on a long-term deal. If that happens, it could put the club out of the running for his services.

Or at the very least, the offer to the Jets would have to be revised downward.

We’re not there yet, since discussions have probably not yet begun between Dubois and L.A. That said, it’s something to keep in mind for Habs fans who want to live in hope. But at this point, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where he’d be playing in Montreal.

The file is moving fast, so we’ll keep an eye on it.

In bursts

– Really?

– Clearly.

– He won’t finish the season in New York, in my opinion.

– Interesting.

– Enjoy your reading.