Opinion: Here’s why the Flyers should trade for Pierre-Luc Dubois

There is no question that Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher needs to keep two fingers on the pulse of the league, and always be on the lookout for any way he can upgrade his team.  It’s always a part of a general manager’s job to check in with teams, and always keep a dialogue open with his 30 counterparts. A new player is on the trade block, and it’s Pierre-Luc Dubois.

It’s very rare that an impact player is available via trade, but one look at former division rival the Columbus Blue Jackets, there seems to be a damaged relationship between their young #1 center Pierre-Luc Dubois and the organization, but is this something that Chuck Fletcher and the Flyers can take advantage of, and should they?

Before we get into the how, let’s get into the why – Why is Dubois, their organization’s best young player and a huge key to their future, and the Blue Jackets on opposite ends of the ice?  To answer that question we need to look back at the run up to this season.  First reported by Pierre Lebrun of the Athletic, it appeared that Dubois had asked for a trade, citing a change of scenery, and from that a 2 year bridge deal was signed.

Since the deal was signed, more reporting came out this time from Blue Jackets reporter Aaron Portzline also of The Athletic and even Columbus head coach John Tortorella himself that seemingly confirmed that Dubois did indeed seek a trade.

Fast forward to the night of January 21st, during a game against Tampa Bay, and it seems that both Dubois and the team had reached the point of no return when Dubois was benched with 4:36 remaining of the first period, and then the entirety of the second period, after taking what was deemed a lazy shift by coach Tortorella.

Needless to say, this kicked the rumor-mill into overdrive as it seems the need for trade needs to happen sooner than later.

But how do the Flyers fit into all of this?  The Flyers were reportedly linked to Dubois, per Pierre LeBrun of TSN.  The 22 year old had a stellar playoffs last year, and has the makings of a #1 centerman who could be your top pivot for at least the next decade.

But that begs the question:  Should the Flyers look to create a trade package for the young budding star?

There’s no question that the Flyers are already stocked at the center position.  Headlined by Selke winner Sean Couturier they also have Kevin Hayes, Nolan Patrick, and Scott Laughton.  At first glance you might ask yourself why they would even need Pierre-Luc Dubois, and you may be right.

But Dubois is a big enough deal that can make the team better, and when someone of that caliber is available you need to pounce.  That’s not to say there isn’t an inherent risk in trading for him.  There’s no guarantee that he would re-sign with the Flyers at the end of his current two-year deal that he was with Columbus. If the Flyers were to acquire Dubois, that would mean that they would have a number one center, number one defenseman, and number one goaltender all under the age of 25.

Philadelphia Flyers

But what would a trade between the Flyers and the Blue Jackets look like?  Ultimately it would be tough to say, as we do not know how they value our players, but as a starting point you would most likely need to include Nolan Patrick in any deal involving Dubois, plus prospects and picks.

It would allow Columbus to receive a center back, and one with the potential to be a first line center, if not a very high level second line center.  The Flyers should not hold any prospect off the trade table.  Zamula?  York?  Brink?  The hard truth is that, with all the prospects drafted under Hextall and Fletcher, there is no realistic way that they would all make the big club.

Columbus needs not only talent, but players that can remain under their control, as they have found it difficult to retain players like Duchene, Panarin, Bobrovsky, and now Pierre-Luc Dubois. What better way then to grab skilled prospects that can remain cost controlled on your roster for years?

For a long time, the Flyers were a team that never looked to improve their current roster.  Under the Hextall regime, they only mostly acquired marginal players at best, and watched as the prime of their two best players was wasted.  The need for a big move to shake up the current roster is not only needed, but warranted.

We’ve already seen the impact of what Kevin Hayes has brought to the team, the first big move by Chuck Fletcher.