Examining Best Fits for Jets' Pierre-Luc Dubois amid NHL Trade Rumors Involving Kings

There's a lot of buzz surrounding the NHL this week, with the 2023 draft set to take place Wednesday and Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee. There's also been trade buzz, as rumors of potential deals continue to circulate early in the offseason.

One player featured amid the talk has been Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, who is now a restricted free agent. But instead of returning to the Jets, they could opt to move him and send his rights to another team.

If that's the case, the Los Angeles Kings appear to the "front-runners," according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

"But as of Sunday evening, there was still lots of work to be done on that front," LeBrun wrote. "It didn't help that both [teams'] front offices were traveling Sunday to Nashville, putting some conversations on hold."

It could make a lot of sense for the Kings to acquire the 25-year-old. He's a talented young player, and they're a team that has made the playoffs each of the past two years but was eliminated in the first round both times.

Los Angeles needs to strengthen its roster a bit in order to take the next step. Dubois would certainly do that.

This past season, he recorded a career-high 63 points in 73 games for Winnipeg, tallying 27 goals and 36 assists. He likely hasn't even reached his ceiling yet.

So, the Kings appear to be the best fit as a trade partner with the Jets for Dubois, as he could help turn them into a more legitimate postseason contender.

However, Los Angeles doesn't appear to be the only team in the mix, per LeBrun, who noted the Montreal Canadiens have "tried" to enter the picture.

"It sounds like they're simply not as good a trade fit for a Jets team that doesn't want to rebuild," he wrote. "The Kings can provide players who can step into the Jets lineup right away."

Arpon Basu of The Athletic reported that the Canadiens are "still open to finding a way to make this work" if the talks between the Jets and Kings "go off the rails."

"A source close to Dubois said it's too soon to rule them out, as unlikely as it seems right now," Basu tweeted.

Montreal may not be as great of a fit for Dubois, though. The Habs have missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons, and they may need to add more than just him to get back to postseason contention.

Still, the Canadiens have the potential to improve quite a bit this offseason, so maybe it could make sense for Dubois to go there.

However, the best scenario for Dubois would likely be to have his rights traded to the Kings and then sign a new contract with them. It seems like the move that would work out the best for all parties involved.