One of the best young centers in the NHL is likely to be traded this season, perhaps in the next few weeks. And the Red Wings appear to be interested.
Who wouldn't be interested in Pierre-Luc Dubois? The 22-year-old racked up more points over the past three seasons than anyone his age not named Patrik Laine. He's big, he's fast, he's talented. He was all three of those things at once a few days ago against Detroit when he skated onto a pass out of his own zone, beat Troy Stetcher to the middle of the ice and flipped a puck under the arm of Thomas Greiss for the difference-maker in a 3-2 win for Columbus.
"Wow," said Mickey Redmond on Fox Sports Detroit. "Whoa, boy."
"Put this on the highlight reel if you're one of those NHL teams trying to get Pierre-Luc Dubois," said Pierre McGuire on NBCSN.
Dubois is pretty much the full package, a former third overall pick who has lived up to the billing. The Blue Jackets are lucky to have him. Except for the fact Dubois wants to play somewhere else. He requested a trade prior to this season, for reasons still unclear. There was no confusing his statement Thursday night against the Lightning when he mailed in a shift in the first period and watched the rest of his team's overtime loss from the bench.
Dubois wants out.
And there's a long list of clubs who want in.
Steve Yzerman and the Wings are believed to be among those who have inquired about Dubois, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. It's a matter of "which teams can satisfy" what the Blue Jackets want. Which, according to LeBrun, isn't picks and/or prospects. It's proven NHL players.
The demands aren't a surprise. The Blue Jackets are a good team, a playoff team four years running. They're not offloading arguably their most talented player and their leading scorer from last season without getting something comparable in return. Something that immediately covers the loss.
Dylan Larkin is a non-starter for the Wings. But anyone else would have to be made available in a deal for Dubois, assuming he'd be open to a move to Detroit. (That's Détroit, folks. De-twah.) He's not coming cheap, and the line of bidders is already out the door. You're talking someone like Anthony Mantha. And you're probably talking a pick and/or a prospect to boot.
A heavy price, as it should be. And potentially a price worth paying for the Red Wings, whose future aches for more talent down the middle. Larkin may or may not be a No. 1 center. But a top two of Larkin and Dubois, Dubois and Larkin? That's a duo worth building around. That's the foundation of something special.
If Yzerman feels the same way, another drab winter could change quickly in HockeyTown.