NHL Rumors: Canadiens after Pierre-Luc Dubois, Keith Yandle to the Bruins, and who will win the Cup
Anthony Scultore
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The Montreal Canadiens have the assets and very likely the desire to trade for Pierre-Luc Dubois. Pierre LeBrun recently went out of his way to stress how much GM Marc Bergevin would love to acquire him, but are the Jackets ready to move him?
NHL Rumors: Montreal Canadiens after Pierre-Luc Dubois
Pierre-Luc Dubois is the hottest name on the trade block right now. Yesterday, we noted Elliotte Friedman said sources told him teams are “not screwing around.” More importantly, the Jackets have received serious offers for him too.
One of those teams rumored are the Canadiens but acquiring Dubois will be costly.
The problem is it will surely take one of the two young centres Bergevin has already decided to build his team around, and there is no guarantee Dubois will be any more productive in the long run than either Nick Suzuki or Jesperi Kotkaniemi. And there is no way Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen goes any further in any conversation that doesn’t include one of those two names.
The Athletic
The buzz out of Montreal is that there is enough smoke to what LeBrun said that the fire to acquire Dubois is growing.
NHL Rumors: Boston after Keith Yandle
Keith Yandle’s iron man streak is in jeopardy, but there’s still a chance it can be saved before the NHL season starts for him. The Boston Bruins could still be in the market for a defenseman and 34 year-old Yandle may fit that bill.
His contract comes with a $6.35 million AAV and two more seasons. If the Panthers are willing to eat 50% of that hit, the Bruins could find a way to fit him in. Remember, the taxi-squad does allow for ways to get in under the cap if you stick with a 20 man roster.
The rumor mill is buzzing around Yandle, but it is very well likely his streak will end on a healthy scratch.
Who will win the Cup?
Many odds makers like the Colorado Avalanche to win it all, but so do the experts at The Athletic.
Speaking of the Avalanche, they are the preseason darlings with 63.41 percent of voters thinking Colorado will claim its first Stanley Cup since 2001. Vegas was next with just six votes, as eight different teams received at least one vote as a potential champ. It’s hard not to like the Avs given the way they’re built, including the addition of two-time Stanley Cup winner Brandon Saad up front and Devon Toews on the back end. A bit surprising was the fact only one team, Toronto, earned a vote from the North Division. Obviously not much faith that a Canadian Stanley Cup drought that stretches back to 1993 is going to end this season.
Scott Burnside